Despite the lack of scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness, the fraudulent OTC love potion industry thrives to this day. Marketers use a "blatant snake-oil approach," according to CHIRI's Renner. He estimates that the aphrodisiac sellers, who do much of their business by mail-order, take in revenues in the hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
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Aphrodisiac experimentation isn't just a rip-off - it can be deadly. Spanish fly, or cantharides, is probably the most legendary aphrodisiac - and the most dangerous. Made from dried beetle remains, the reported sexual excitement from Spanish fly comes from the irritation to the urogenital tract and a resultant rush of blood to the sex organs. But Spanish fly is a poison that burns the mouth and throat and can lead to genito-urinary infections, scarring of the urethra, and even death.
It's best to ask a doctor
To avoid being taken for their money or their lives, individuals with sexual problems should seek a physician's advice. A lack of sexual energy or ability in men or women could be caused by something as simple as stress or a medication one is taking, or as serious as an underlying condition like diabetes or high blood pressure.
A doctor can diagnose a sexual problem and recommend treatment. If necessary, a doctor can prescribe a drug to treat sexual dysfunction. Testosterone replacement therapy is one prescription option for men whose natural testosterone level is not within the normal range, but its serious potential side effects call for a physician's supervision.
"People will continue to have false hopes of finding easy ways of resolving their problems," says Aronson. And so the hunt for the elusive love drug persists. A universal aphrodisiac may never be found, but experts agree that what's good for your overall health is probably good for your sex life too.
A good diet and a regular exercise program are a more dependable path to better sex than are goats' eyes, deer sperm, and frogs' legs. A good mental state is equally important.
Maybe the wishful search for a cure-all drug should be abandoned in favor of an easier, more reliable mechanism: the erotic stimulation of one's own imagination. To quote renowned sex expert "Dr. Ruth" Westheimer, Ed.D.: "The most important sex organ lies between the ears."
Comment on Sensua and Go-girl
Most of the creams marketed to increase sexual pleasure for women contain the active ingredient l-arginine. This is an amino acid found in dairy products that increases blood flow to the genital area — specifically the clitoris. Since the clitoris is a little bundle of erectile tissue, more blood supply often translates into greater erection and increased sensation. Sensua is the brand name of one kind of orgasm- enhancing cream for women that also contains menthol, which is supposed to aid in the absorption of l-arginine. When rubbed on to the clitoris, menthol also provides a tingle to the skin.
These orgasm-enhancing creams are available without a prescription on the Internet and at shops that sell sex toys and other pleasure related products. They typically cost between R99-00 to R150-00 for a small vial containing three or four applications. The active ingredients in such creams have been widely used in other over-the-counter products and in higher doses (l-arginine is often sold as a dietary supplement, and menthol is commonly used in cough drops). No serious side effects have been reported from their use; a small number of women have a "burning" sensation from the menthol, but some women describe it as intensifying the sensation.
Some women get significant pleasure from these creams, while others experience less of a sensation-boosting effect, or no effect at all. Still others use them a few times before feeling any difference, cultivating the sensations. Another perspective, of course, is to value whatever pleasure one can feel. Orgasm is only part of the pleasure experience. (Dr Elna McIntosh, Health24 sexologist)
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