Male Sexual Enhancement Products and Methods

Vitamins and Minerals

Today, health food stores sell many bottles of vitamins and minerals that are supposed to be specially formulated for sexual enhancement of men. Quite a number of them use the promise of enhanced or restored sexual potency as a lure. What is in these mixtures, and can they help erectile problems?

We all accept the fact that the human body needs certain vitamins and minerals for sexual enhancement. And there may be specific nutrients that may be useful for sexual function. But apart from that, are there any substances that can have a direct and positive effect on male sexual function?

Almost all of these formulas contain animal glandulars. These are extracts from the prostate, testicles, thymus, pancreas, and adrenal glands of cows and other animals. Sometimes extracts from other organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are also included. The formulas promise enhanced "vitality” and many promises have veiled sexual references. Of course, these nonprescription products are not permitted to make any direct health claims, including sexual claims, and those that are manufactured by reputable vitamin companies do not.

The idea behind these glandular substances is that taking them will improve the function of the similar gland in a human being. Of course, there is absolutely no scientific proof that anything similar to this actually happens. While these products, when taken as directed, are probably not dangerous, it is likely that they may not do much in male sexual enhancement.

Spanish fly

Spanish fly, probably the most notorious of natural sexual enhancer, is a powdered substance made from the bodies of crushed beetles, cantharides, native to southern Europe.

When people ingest Spanish fly, it is processed by the kidneys and becomes part of the urine. When the man urinates, the Spanish fly irritates his urethra (urinary canal), giving him a warm, stimulating sensation that can allegedly foster erections. Unfortunately, Spanish fly is also deadly. It can cause vomiting, inflammation of the internal organs, damage to the kidneys, liver, and urinary tract, and even result in death. It is banned in the United States and should never be used for any reason.

Street Drugs

Many of the illegal drugs that are commonly in use are said to Increase sexual potency. They include marijuana, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines ("uppers" or "speed") and sedatives ("downers"). Is there any truth to these claims? Sexual results from these drugs, when there are any, can be attributed to the psychological effects they have on the users.

Marijuana

This weed relaxes the body, lowering, inhibitions, which can result in users engaging in uncharacteristic behavior, including sexual activity. But with prolonged use or in high doses, marijuana can just as easily make the user lose interest in sex altogether and, in cases like this it has been linked to erectile dysfunction.

Cocaine

This drug is a stimulant that may have sexual effects for the short time it is effective. By enhancing sexual sensations for some users, it can make sexual activity seem more intense. This drug has anesthetic properties and can permit extended lovemaking because of diminished intensity. In some men, it can produce prolonged and very hazardous erections. Aside from its addictive properties, cocaine is highly dangerous and can easily lead to heart attacks and death.

Amphetamines

These stimulants can also have sexual side effects, including prolonged erections and enhanced orgasms. But with long term use or in high doses, these drugs can just as easily cause an inability to ejaculate, a loss of sexual desire, and even impotence. In some cases, they can also result in permanent psychosis and death.

Sedatives

These include sleeping pills and barbiturates, which act to depress the central nervous system and induce relaxation. They have been used as prescription drugs to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, but they have also been abused as street drugs. The best known of these is methaqualone (Quaaludes), which was often used in the 1970s as a sexual aid to make women more receptive to making love.

While some women may experience a loss of sexual inhibitions when using these drugs, in men they can cause a loss of sexual desire, problems with ejaculation and orgasm, and erectile dysfunction. In combination with alcohol, sedatives can result in death.

LSD

LSD and other Psychedelic drugs were used partly for their alleged ability to enhance sexual activity. Once again, the reason seems to lie in the fact that these drugs depress inhibitions and make both men and women more relaxed and more sensitive to sexual sensations. The problem with these drugs is the adverse effect they can have on the mind as well as potential negative long term effects, including permanent changes to the nervous system.

You should remember that when you are under the influence of any of these drugs, your mind is not functioning normally. Your perceptions are clouded, and you may think things are happening when, in fact, they are not. Because of this, we cannot take reports of sexual enhancement with the use of these drugs at face value. In many, if not most cases, it is probable that the effect is as much imaginary as real. Street drugs are illegal for a reason: They can be dangerous to your health. These drugs are not used primarily as sexual aids, but in order to change consciousness. Use of these drugs can cause permanent and irreversible health problems and even death.

Alcohol

At times people have used alcohol to lower inhibitions, increase receptiveness, and enhance sexual sensations. Is it really effective in these ways?

The truth is that alcohol is one of the biggest contributors to men's sexual problems. Alcohol, a central nervous system depressant, in large amounts taken over a long period of time, can cause impaired brain function, loss of sexual desire, and erectile dysfunction. Remember that the brain is your primary sex organ and it is the brain that begins the process that ends up in an erection. Alcohol, by depressing brain function, can also seriously impair sexual function. In addition, alcohol has damaging effects on the kidneys, liver, and nerves, and has been shown to lower levels of the male hormone testosterone, which is vital for normal sexual performance.

It has been estimated that there are at least 10 million alcoholics in the United States alone, and that a large number of male alcoholics suffer from erectile dysfunction. Remember that we are talking about excessive, long term alcohol abuse. Used in moderation (no more than one or two small drinks per day), alcohol should not cause sexual problems in otherwise healthy men.

Acupuncture

Long known and trusted in Chinese traditional medicine, acupuncture has only recently begun to gain acceptance in the American medical community. This method of treating disorders is based on the theory of energy paths, called meridians that connect to various parts of the body. By placing tiny needles in the right spots, the theory is that an acupuncturist can release blocked energy and restore proper function to the organ. According to people who have undergone acupuncture, there is little or no pain. In some cases, several treatments are needed before relief is obtained. Of course, acupuncture will not work for all ailments. Does it work for erection problems?

A fifteen year medical study conducted in China in the 1970s and 1980s, involving one hundred men between the ages of twenty four and fifty three who suffered from ED, found that acupuncture treatment helped sixty three of them to have normal sexual intercourse twice a week. Ten other men were able to have intercourse once a week, while there was no improvement in the remaining thirteen men who completed the study.

While these results sound promising, the question is, what was the cause of these men's erectile difficulties? Was it psychological or organic or both? Unfortunately, we do not have this information, so we are unable to draw any conclusions regarding acupuncture's effectiveness relating to cause. If you suffer from ED and would like to try acupuncture, be sure to consult your doctor first. And be certain to check out the training and experience of any acupuncturist you visit.

Hypnosis

While hypnosis will not help a man who has an organic problem causing ED, it can sometimes be useful for men suffering from psychogenic impotence. Some sex therapists have a hypnotist with whom they regularly work and it is possible to get a recommendation from the therapist.

Hypnosis can help people to relax, lowering the anxiety that often interferes with good sexual performance. Men who are worried, tense, and nervous in general, or in regard to sex, frequently have erectile problems. By helping them allay their anxieties, hypnosis can sometimes result in the restoration of normal erections.

Hypnosis does not work for everyone and may not be appropriate for every man who has erectile dysfunction. That is why it is a good idea to be in therapy first and to make any decision regarding hypnosis in consultation with your therapist.