Damiana: Discover the Herb that Helps Both Men and Women Boost a Flagging Libido

Many plant-based products boast an ability to improve sexual performance and heighten desire. Yet only a handful of these herbal remedies have actually been subjected to rigorous scientific research to prove their benefits in this area. One plant that has been extensively studied and found to live up its hype as a powerful aphrodisiac is Damiana (Turnera aphrodisiaca).

Damiana is a small shrub that produces yellow flowers and grows throughout South America. Its dried leaves and stems have been used for centuries by traditional native healers as a sexual enhancer, anti-depressant, antiseptic and diuretic.

Its hardly surprising that the plant is linked to such a wide range of therapeutic actions considering the numerous active ingredients it contains these include flavonoids, resins and tannin which help stimulate many of your bodys biological processes.

Of all its reputed benefits, Damianas ability to boost a flagging libido has caused the most scientific interest especially as it has been found to have benefits in this area for both men and women.

Damiana works like Viagra but without the harmful side effects
Argentinian scientists from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, studied Damiana, in addition to several other plant extracts, and found that it had potent aphrodisiac properties.

Their research confirmed that the plant is able to improve sexual dysfunction in men by relaxing the small muscles within the walls of the arteries of the penis. This is important because when the arteries are relaxed they widen and allow more blood to pass through them, which is what causes an erection.

This is exactly how Viagra works, but fortunately the similarity between the two ends here, as Damiana does not cause the drugs harmful side effects. These include urinary-tract infection, diarrhoea, increased blood pressure, irregular heart rhythm, heart attack, stroke and even sudden death.

The scientists also found that all of the plants studied, including Damiana, relaxed the arteries of the penis by 90 per cent on average, whereas Viagra caused only a moderate degree of relaxation barely reaching 46 per cent (Phytomedicine. 2003 Nov; 10(8):669-74).

A proven sexual stimulant that can improve your performance in the bedroom
In another study, researchers from the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in Italy, studied the effects of Damiana and Pfaffia (another herbal sexual stimulant, which NHR recently brought you a report on in your October 2004 issue) on a group of impotent rats.

The group was treated with different amounts of Damiana and Pfaffia and then assessed by the scientists. The scientists found that both herbal extracts, given either on their own or in combination, improved the sexual performance of the impotent rats this included an increase in the number of rats achieving ejaculation and a shortened interval between sexual intercourse.

The scientists concluded that: These results seem to support the folk reputation of Turnera diffusa [Damiana] and Pfaffia as sexual stimulants (Arletti R, Benelli A, Cavazzuti E, Scarpetta G, Bertolini A, Psychopharmacology 1999 Mar;143(1):15-9). 

Damiana increases sexual desire in women too and encourages more intense orgasms
Damianas ability to improve womens sexual health has also been examined. Scientists from the School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, studied 77 women over the age of 21 who wanted to improve their sexual function.

Thirty-four of these women took a preparation called ArginMax for Women (a nutritional supplement containing Damiana in addition to ginseng, ginkgo biloba and L-arginine all of which work together to improve blood circulation to the sexual organs), and 43 received a placebo (dummy treatment) each day.

After four weeks, over 73 per cent of the women who took ArginMax for Women reported an overall improvement in their sex lives, compared with just 37.2 per cent of those in the placebo group. Improvements were experienced in several areas including sexual desire, reduction of vaginal dryness, frequency of sexual intercourse and orgasm, and increased clitoral sensation (Ito TY, Trant AS, Polan ML. J Sex Marital Ther. 2001 Oct-Dec; 27(5):541-9).

Reassuringly scientists have confirmed that Damiana does not have any affect on the female hormone oestrogen. This means that theres no risk attached to its use that it might cause oestrogen-related cancers like breast cancer (Polan ML, Hochberg RB, Trant AS, Wuh HC. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2004 May;13(4):427-30).

Finally, Damiana has an additional promising benefit: it can aid weight loss. Research conducted at the Department of Ultrasound, Medical Centre, Charlottenlund in Denmark found that the plant slows down the emptying of food from the stomach. This means you feel full even after eating a small meal, which prevents over-eating and promotes good digestion (Andersen T, Fogh J. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2001 Jun;14(3):243-50).

What to take for best results
Men should take two 300mg Damiana tablets in the morning and evening.

Women wanting to benefit from the herb can take ArginMax for Women. As mentioned earlier, this product also contains other nutrients that have been found to benefit womens sexual health. The recommended dosage amount for ArginMax for Women is six tablets a day - three in the morning and three in the evening. ArginMax should be taken for a minimum of four weeks to achieve maximum benefits.

While there are no known contraindications attached to taking either Damiana or ArginMax for Women, as a general rule, those with a medical condition especially those taking prescription medications should consult their GP before taking either remedy.