Libido Enhancement Information for Men and Women
How to Increase Female and Male Low Libido by Ray Sahelian, M.D., author of Natural Sex Boosters

Is it possible to increase low libido to the same intensity as we had back in our teenage years? The answer may surprise you, but it is a resounding Yes. In fact, it is possible to increase libido to levels that match teenage years. And it can happen within hours or days. There are quite a number of natural herbal libido enhancers that work effectively, and a fuller list of herbal libido enhancers is provided a few paragraphs below. Some of the libido enhancers that are becoming more popular include Tongkat ali herb, Horny goat weed herb, Tribulus terrestris and Yohimbe bark. Additional herbs for low libido include Ashwagandha herb, Maca herb, Mucuna Pruriens herb, Muira puama herb, and Rhodiola rosea. I have formulated a libido enhancer product called Passion Rx which includes several of my favorite libido herbs. A gentler libido enhancer for men is Prostate Power Rx with saw palmetto which some users report an increase in libido within 3 to 5 days.

Note: Most libido enhancer herbs have mild to moderate heart stimulating properties and are therefore not advised for those who have a heart or cardiovascular medical problem or are taking heart medicines. If you have mild high blood pressure, ask your doctor if low dosages of libido enhancers are appropriate for you. Low dosages may mean taking half a capsule. Those with heart problems should rather focus on diet and natural, non-herbal ways to enhance libido as discussed several paragraphs below.

Passion Rx - Low Libido Enhancer, Formulated by Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D. - works in Men and Women
Potent female and male libido enhancer

How quickly does Passion Rx increase low libido?
Passion Rx helps to increase libido in a man or a woman sometimes within a day or two, and the benefits improve with time. Our feedback thus far indicates more than 80% of users notice a powerful libido enhancement within a week and 90 percent within two weeks.

Dr. Sahelian and his research staff have tested various doses and extracts of dozens of natural libido herbs from a number or raw material suppliers to determine the ideal dosage and combination for optimal libido enhancement with the fewest side effects. After years of clinical research, a highly effective proprietary blend with more than a dozen herbal extracts from the best raw material suppliers has been created to increase libido in men and women naturally with the fewest side effects. The exact dosages and extract potencies in this natural libido enhancement blend is a close kept secret only known to the doctor and his research staff. You will only find this exact combination in Passion Rx.

There are five major areas involved in female and male libido:

1. Psychological / Mental -- The causes of psychological sexual dysfunction and loss of libido are numerous, and it is difficult to list them all, but most often low libido is related to stress, lack of adequate sleep, depression, anxiety, marital or relationship problems, life crisis, financial difficulties, problems at work, religious repression, or some forms of mental illness. Getting a deep sleep at night can do wonders for a healthy libido.

2. Hormonal -- Androgens, such as testosterone, are a major component of libido, and they certainly can be considered libido enhancers. Testosterone levels decline about 1 percent each year in men, which may contribute to lower male libido with aging. Testosterone also declines with age in women leading to a decrease in female libido with menopause. Women who have had surgical removal of the ovaries notice a drop in sexual interest. Replacement of androgens can be helpful in those with age related sexual dysfunction. Testosterone is available by prescription only. An over the counter hormones, such as DHEA, converts into testosterone and thus has a positive influence on libido. Pregnenolone is another over the counter hormone that may increase testosterone levels and thus enhance libido. I personally prefer the safer approach of libido enhancement with natural herbs rather than hormones since hormones can have many side effects. Testosterone levels and high or low libido are not always directly linked.

3. Vascular -- Alterations in the flow of blood to and from the penis are thought to be a common cause of male erectile dysfunction. For instance, medical conditions such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), high cholesterol, hypertension, or diabetes reduce blood flow to the penis and genital organs thus leading to difficulty with erection or genital swelling.  Additional factors that can impede blood flow include penile injury, surgery in the pelvic or abdominal area, and sitting on a bicycle too long. Men who log several thousand miles a year on their mountain bikes suffer scrotal damage that could reduce their fertility.  

4. Neural -- Nerve damage from disorders such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke affect the brain’s ability to respond to sexual stimulation. In women, abdominal or pelvic operations can occasionally lead to nerve damage. Sexual dysfunction is common in men undergoing surgical treatment for prostate enlargement or cancer.

5. Chemical -- Some chemicals involved in the human sexual response and libido include dopamine, acetylcholine, and nitric oxide. Excess serotonin can lower libido in men and women.

Libido and Medical conditions
Certain medical conditions lead to low libido  -- or complete loss of libido --  poor performance, or decreased enjoyment. These include hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and neurological disorders, and insomnia.

Drugs that decrease Libido
Drugs that interfere with libido or sexual function include some anti-hypertensives, SSRIs, sedatives, and beta-blockers. Alcohol's negative affect on libido increases with age. Smoking can reduce genital blood flow. Finasteride, a drug used to treat enlarged prostate and to stimulate hair growth (Proscar and Propecia), may decrease libido, and in some individuals cause impotence and ejaculatory dysfunction.

High Quality products formulated by a medical doctor
Consider these highly popular all natural products: Mind Power Rx for better mental focus, concentration, and mood; Diet Rx which helps you eat less. It really does curb appetite; Good Night Rx for better sleep; Eyesight Rx for better vision, often within days; MultiVit Rx a daily comprehensive multivitamin for more energy and vitality; Joint Power Rx for healthy joints; Prostate Power Rx for a healthy prostate gland; and Passion Rx to increase, sexual pleasure, and improved performance and stamina in men and women.

Natural supplements that reduce libido
The most common natural herbs and supplements that decrease libido include 5-HTP and kava.

Is there any food that helps increase low libido?
I have been asked many times if there is a food that increases libido. No food that I know of available in grocery stores increases libido in an immediate way. It is possible that cold water fish, such as salmon, halibut, sardines, and shellfish, along with fish eggs or roe, may increase libido by improving overall sexual health since they contain important fish oils. These fish oils help dilate blood vessels and also help brain cells work better, and perhaps influence hormone balance. Eating a healthy diet with lots of vegetables and herbs, spices, can sometimes help with libido enhancement. Libido increasing foods can make a significant difference in some people.

10 Ways to Increase Libido naturally
1. Exercise almost every day, even if it is as little as a 20 minute walk around the block. Exercise will help you sleep deeper at night. Consider creatine as muscle building supplement if you wish to have more muscles and feel better about your body.
2. Eat more cold water fish, more vegetables, and avoid or reduce high sugar foods, junk foods, sodas, white bread, pastries, etc.
3. Add more spices in your cooking, such as curcumin, cloves, mustard, nutmeg, etc.
4. Try to get adequate sleep of high quality
5. Take a class in tantra or other sexual enhancement workshops
6. View more erotica if this is consistent with your moral viewpoint
7. Take a vacation to the Caribbean, Hawaii, or other warm and exotic regions
8. Try to reduce your stress and anxiety, have a massage
9. Try to approach your partner with an open heart and warm feelings, including forgiveness for any hurts or harsh words used in the past
10. And, of course, it never hurts to add romance to your life.... flowers, notes of appreciation, etc.

Libido and Testosterone levels
While there's a statistical link between men's sex drive and their testosterone levels, in practice there's little meaningful difference in testosterone levels between men with low libido and those with high libido. Dr. Thomas G. Travison, from the New England Research Institutes in Watertown, Massachusetts, and his associates evaluated data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. Between 1987 and 1989, a total of 1632 men ages 40 to 70 years were enrolled in the study. They were assessed at the outset and two more times approximately 9 and 15 years later, when 922 and 623 men, respectively, were available. At each time point, the men completed a self-administered questionnaire asking about the frequency of libido and of sexual thoughts and fantasies, and their hormone levels were measured. Overall, libido was significantly associated with testosterone levels. However, the difference in testosterone levels between participants with low libido and those with high libido was small. Looked at the other way, a low libido did not mean a man was particularly likely to have low levels of testosterone. Therefore, the researchers conclude that if a man complains of reduced libido, it cannot always be interpreted as a sign of testosterone deficiency. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, July 2006.

How to increase Libido Research Update
Women with low libido: correlation of decreased androgen levels with female sexual function index.
Int J Impotence Res. 2004 Dec 09;
The aim of the present study was to investigate a possible correlation between decreased androgen levels and female sexual function index (FSFI) in women with low libido and compare these findings with normal age-matched subjects. In total, 20 premenopausal women with low libido and 20 postmenopausal women with low libido, and 20 premenopausal healthy women and 20 postmenopausal healthy women as controls were enrolled. Women with low libido had symptoms for at least 6 months and were in stable relationships. All premenopausal patients had regular menstrual cycles and all postmenopausal patients and controls were on estrogen replacement therapy.  We found significant differences between the women with low libido and the controls in total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEA-S levels and full-scale score for both pre- and postmenopausal women. Our data suggest that women with low libido have lower androgen levels compared to age-matched normal control groups and their decreased androgen levels correlate positively with female sexual function index domains.

Treatment with a patch containing the hormone testosterone can increase libido and activity in women who experience reduced libido after surgical removal of the ovaries.

Medical management of male and female libido disturbances in treated hypertensive patients: differences between men and women.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. 2003 Jul-Aug;96(7-8):758-62
Decrease in libido is a disturbance affecting treated hypertensive subjects of both sexes. In contrast with erection problems, this abnormality has rarely been studied in hypertensives treated with antihypertensive drugs. To evaluate, using a self-administered questionnaire, the prevalence of libido disturbance (decrease in sexual desire) in treated hypertensive subjects and to determine the management of these troubles. In 428 hypertensive subjects, living in France and referred to hypertension specialists, a self-administered questionnaire evaluating the quality of sexual activity was given before the consultation. Nine specific questions focused on the quality of libido for the last 6 months in men or women (interest for sexuality, libido , sexual pleasure). Secondly, the doctors were questioned about their management of these libido disturbances. RESULTS: In this population of treated hypertensives, including 270 men and 158 women, with a blood pressure level of 139 mmHg, a decrease in libido  was reported by 47% of men and 48% of women. Libido disturbance was related to antihypertensive drugs in 46% of cases, more often in men (59%) than in women (24%). In subjects with libido disturbance, a specific medical management has been proposed in 35% of cases, especially in men (in 46% of cases, and consisted in a specialized consultation for 34% and/or the prescription of Sildenafil for 20%. In women, the lack of management of these libido troubles was more often observed than in men (82% vs 54%). Modifications of antihypertensive treatments were rarely observed in 15% of cases comparatively in men and women. Men and women with treated hypertension are at "high risk" of libido disturbance. Management of male and female libido dysfunction in these subjects concerns only 35% of cases, especially men, including specific treatments and/or consultations, but changing in antihypertensive drugs still remains rare.

Sexual desire (libido) and relationship functioning: the effects of marital satisfaction and power.
Brezsnyak M, Whisman MA. University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado.
J Sex Marital Ther. 2004 May-Jun;30(3):199-217.
The present study examined the association among marital satisfaction, marital power, and libido in a sample of 60 community couples. We predicted that marital satisfaction would be positively correlated with libdio and that this association would be moderated by marital power, such that marital satisfaction would be more strongly correlated with libido among individuals who perceive themselves as having less power in their relationship. Results indicated that marital satisfaction was significantly associated with libido, but there was no evidence for the moderating effects of various forms of marital power.

Predictors of decreased libido in women during the late reproductive years.
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Menopause. 2004 Mar-Apr;11(2):136-7.
To identify risk factors for decreased libido among women in the late reproductive years. Women aged 35 to 47 years identified through random digit dialing were prospectively followed for 4 years with serial hormone assays and standardized questionnaires. Mean hormone values, hormone trends over 4 years, and fluctuation in hormone levels were compared among women with and without a decrease in libido at the last assessment period. Total testosterone, dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate, estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, body mass index, psychosocial, and socioeconomic variables were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Of 326 women, 87 (27%) reported a decreased libido, whereas 239 (73%) did not. Participant-specific means for all hormone levels over the study period were similar among both groups. However, total testosterone fluctuation over the study was significantly different between groups. Women whose testosterone levels fluctuated from 3.8 to 21.5 ng/dL around a mean value of 9 ng/dL were four times more likely to report decreased libido compared with women with little fluctuation in testosterone, Depression, vaginal dryness, and children living at home were also independently associated with decreased libido. Decreased libido in the late reproductive years is associated with a pronounced fluctuation in total testosterone over time. Other independent risk factors for decreased libido include vaginal dryness, depression, and living with children.

Depression and Libido
RL. Phillips, M.D., and JR. Slaughter, M.D. University of Missouri­Columbia School of Medicine, Columbia, MI
Am Fam Physician 2000;62:782-6.
Decreased libido disproportionately affects patients with depression. The relationship between depression and decreased libido may be blurred, but treating one condition frequently improves the other. Medications used to treat depression may decrease libido and sexual function. Frequently, patients do not volunteer problems related to sexuality, and physicians rarely ask about such problems. Asking a depressed patient about libido and sexual function and tailoring treatment to minimize adverse effects on sexual function can significantly increase treatment compliance and improve the quality of the patient's life. Symptomatic loss of libido is a common problem in the United States. In a national survey conducted in 1994, 33 percent of women and 17 percent of men reported sexual disinterest. In another survey, one third of women 18 to 59 years of age reported feeling a lack of sexual desire within the previous year. Patients with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder have an even higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction, including lowered libido, than the general population. In one study it was found that more than 70 percent of depressed patients had a loss of libido when not taking medication, and they reported that the severity of this libido loss was worse than the other symptoms of depression. In this same study, libido declined with increasing severity of psychologic illness. The complex association between depression and lowered libido is further illustrated in a case control study in which increased lifetime prevalence rates of affective disorder were found among patients with inhibited libido. Regardless of the cause-and-effect relationship, depression and decreased libido are associated, and the treatment of one condition may improve the other. This article focuses on decreased libido associated with depression, the effects of treatment of depression on libido, and the effects of changes in libido and sexual functioning on compliance.

Androgen status in healthy premenopausal women with loss of libido.
J Sex Marital Ther. 2005 Jan-Feb;31(1):73-80.
Androgen deficiency may contribute to female sexual dysfunction and loss of libido. The role of the active metabolite of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), in these conditions is uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine the role of androgens and DHT in the etiology of loss of libido in healthy women. Conclusion: Loss of libido in otherwise healthy women may be related to relationship problem, depression, psychosocial factors, and sexual dysfunction in the partner but do not appear to be related to androgen status.

As of April, 2006, Ray Sahelian, M.D. is no longer associated in any form with Irwin Naturals vitamin company and no longer associated with Steel Libido. Steel Libido for women was not formulated by Dr. Sahelian. Steel Libido for men and Steel Libido for women are made by Irwin Naturals.

Libido emails
Q.  Have received spam mail and seen on web sites male libido pills that the vendors say are guaranteed to increase the size of your penis. The ingredients seem to be the common supplements spoken about with regard to penile health.  Is there any substance to these male libido penis enlargement claims and the medical certified statements.
   A. I have gotten similar emails. I am not aware of any male libido pills that permanently increase the size of a penis, but I am 100 percent certain many herbal combinations do increase libido or can be called libido enhancers.

Q. Is arginine a male libido enhancer?
   A. In my experience, I have not found arginine to be an effective male libido enhancer.

Q. Does exercise improve libido?
   A. Perhaps not directly, but indirectly exercise can help you sleep deeper which does wonders for libido. Exercise also makes you feel better about your body, and this could also have an influence on your libido.

Q. My doctor told me that I need testosterone to boost my libido ever since I've had my ovaries removed. Do you think herbs can restore libido without resorting to hormones? I really don't want to take testosterone.
   A. Most doctors don't realize that there certain natural herbs are female libido enhancers as much as the hormones, and often much safer.

Q. Every since my doctor put me on propranolol for high blood pressure, my libido is gone. Is low libido a side effect?
   A. Yes, for sure. Propranolol is a beta blocker, and almost all beta blocker interfere with optimal sexual functioning, including reduction of male libido and sensation, along with difficulty with erection.

Q. I was told that a food increasing libido is turkey. Is that true?
   A. I have not seen any studies with turkey, chicken or other birds for increasing libido. It is quite likely that certain spices used in food increase libido when ingested in larger than usual quantities. And of course, a food for increasing libido that I mentioned above is fish.

Q. Does exercise increase libido?
   A. Low or moderate exercise can increase libido, but heavy and exhaustive exercise, such as running a marathon can lead to low libido for a few days.

Q. Are herbal libido enhancers safe?
   A. Some of them are safe. Certain libido enhancers such as yohimbe and tongkat ali should be taken in low doses since they have side effects.

Q. I am looking for a libido enhancement product. How do I know which work?
   A. You really can't tell for sure which libido enhancement product works unless you try it. There are thousands of libido herbs and libido enhancement pills on the market, and I am quite certain that many of them work, but you can't tell from the ingredients alone.

Q. I suffered from a loss of libido after my wife died. It's been 3 months now. Is libido loss permanent?
   A. Chances are you will regain and increase your libido with time once the grieving period is over and you meet someone who you want to be intimate with again. Increasing libido with certain herbs is possible in the meantime.

Q Do men have stronger libido than women?
   A. I think so. Testosterone leads to better libido in a man than a woman since women don't have as much testosterone as men.

Q. Is low libido and impotence the same thing?
   A. Impotence is defined as the inability to have a strong erection enough to last through sexual intercourse while a person can have a strong libido but still have impotence. On the other hand, if someone takes a Viagra, they can have a strong erection but still have a low libido and little or no sensation of the penis.

Q. How do I max my libido? I have a lack of libido from taking antihypertensive medications. I take a beta blocker.
   A. To max libido, get a deep sleep, eat more vegetables and fish, exercise moderately, lead a low stress life, take vacations to warm climates near an ocean, involve yourself with erotica and try to meet someone who strongly appeals to you. Also, if you lose weight and eat more vegetables and fish, your blood pressure may naturally come down and hence you could perhaps need less of medicine that is causing the lack of libido. Most likely the cause of low libido in your case is the blood pressure medicine.

Q. I came across a cream that claims to be a male libido enhancement product. Do these creams work when applied to the penis?
   A. I have not tried them and have not heard enough feedback on these creams to determine if they can be honestly called a male libido enhancement product.

Q.  I am having high libido or high sex drive. I have to control this high libido, so that it does not affect my work.
Although i am not having such thoughts all the time, but of late i have started to observe myself and felt that I want to lose this high libido. I have started on 5-HTP (50 mg) today, bought a Natrol brand and also thinking about SAM-e.
   A. 5-HTP or 5-hydroxy-tryptophan could help to lower high libido. SAM-e is not known to lower high libido. Perhaps occasional use of kava my also be helpful.

Q. Would you consider Viagra and Levitra libido boosters?
  A. No. These drugs work well for erection, but they do little to increase libido or sexual urge, and they have no effect on sensation of genital organs. Sometimes increased libido is achieved indirectly with these drugs due to more confidence from a larger erection.

Q. I have low libido from menopause, is there an herbal libido supplement that can help me?
   A. Low doses of tongkat ali, muira puama, horny goat weed and Passion Rx could be helpful to naturally increase libido in menopause.

Q. What is real definition of libido? Does tongkat ali herb increase libido? My wife says she has no libido. Define libido please.
  A. Libido actually means sex drive. A high libido means a person thinks about sex a lot and seeks to satisfy his or her sexual urges. Hormones, such as testosterone, have a major influence in libido enhancement. Tongkat ali is a libido herb used in Southeast Asia.

Q. I heard maca is a libido herb from Peru. Does taking a maca supplement lead to increased libido?
   A. Maca is grown in the Andes mountains in South America, particularly in Peru. Libido can be enhanced by maca use over several days.

Q. What's a good libido vitamin?
   A. I am not aware of any vitamin to increase libido in a short period of time. Increased libido can be achieved by taking certain nutrients such as choline or cdp choline.

Q. What is the difference between Passion Rx and Steel Libido by Irwin Naturals ? There is also Steel Libido for men and Steel Libido for Women by Irwin Naturals. Is Steel libido effective? What about Steel Libido for women? Is there a Steel Libido review I can read?
   A. Passion Rx was formulated several years after Steel Libido ( Irwin Naturals ) and is more potent. Steel Libido works in a man but it has a milder effect. I am not aware of a Steel LIbido review. Both Passion Rx and Steel Libido are good products to reverse decreased libido but Steel Libido is weaker. Steel Libido was formulated by me back in the year 2000 when I was associated with a company called Irwin Naturals that markets Steel Libido for men. I had nothing to do with formulating Steel Libido for women. I am not sure if Irwin Naturals has changed the Steel Libido fro man formula since I first formulated it years ago therefore I don't know how effective the newest batch of Steel Libido for men is and have not seen a recent Steel Libido review. I have no idea if Steel Libido for woman is effective. I stopped my association with Irwin Naturals as of April 2006, I am longer associated with Irwin Naturals and no longer endorse Steel Libido. I withdraw my association with Irwin Naturals for several reasons, including the fact that I did not like their management style and the new products they were coming out with under the brand name Irwin Naturals, including a carb blocker and cortisol weight loss blocker trying to copy the infomercial product Cortislim. Irwin Naturals is a company based out of Marina Del Rey, CA and has another line called Nature's Secret. I have been unhappy with Irwin Naturals ever since I formulated a product called System Six, back in the year 2000., and without my approval they added ephedra to the product. My contract clearly stated that they needed my approval before making changes to the formulas I had developed. This matter was eventually settled after I filed a lawsuit and Klee Irwin, CEO of Irwin Naturals, admitted that the company had wronged me and damaged my reputation and we made a financial settlement. At this point I don't how the sales of Steel Libido for men and Steel Libido for women are doing.

Q. I have loss of libido due to the use of SSRI drugs, particularly Prozac. Does the drug Wellbutrin increase libido?
   A. I'm not sure, it may. Wellbutrin may increase dopamine levels and hence lead to libido enhancement but I'm not sure. Most SSRI antidepressants decrease libido. A natural antidepressant such as SAM-e may have no effect on libido or lead to a mild libido enhancement. Loss of libido is common with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Q. My wife has very little or no libido. Is there any drug or herb or anything over the counter that we could buy say like at Walmart, something that works.
   Q. I am not familiar with what Walmart stores have since I have not stepped into such store for several years.

Q. I noted that on his page discussing libido enhancement Dr. Sahelian mentioned the vasodilative action of fish oils and their cerebral effects as certainly compatible and perhaps conducive to increased libido. It is commonplace to note that increased pelvic blood flow is sexually beneficial, but I have not seen the relation of cerebral blood flow to libido and sexual response directly addressed. I write to inquire if he has looked into this or has otherwise formed an opinion as to the utility of cerebral
vasodilators (eg vinpocetine) in this connection, and on the nutritional side, if what he says about fish oils applies as well to ALA and PUFA’s generally. (I am aware that conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA is somewhat problematic.) Also, he makes the excellent point that a good night’s sleep is a libido booster and aphrodisiac in its own right.
   A. I have tried vinpocetine for brief periods of time and did not find a quick libido effect. I find fish oils to be more effective for overall sexual enhancement than ALA.

Q.  My boyfriend has been on Cymbalta for several years and has very little libido. The drug really works for his depression, and he's understandably reluctant to switch (largely because he's had the same low libido side-effect w/ other meds, w/o so much mood enhancement). Have you seen natural supplements work for low libido as a side effect of an anti-depressant? Are they typically safe to use in conjunction w/ anti-depressants? That is, don't create conditions that adversely affect the anti-depressants. I know this question would ultimately have to go to the psychiatrist, but I imagine you have some general information about this. Interestingly enough, he also has some periodic nighttime limb movement.
   A. Natural supplements can reverse low libido resulting from the use of anti-depressants that influence the serotonin system. However, it is difficult to predict in any one individual which natural herb or herbal formula will have a positive influence on reversing the low libido. Also, the interactions of libido herbs and SSRI or SNRI antidepressants is not easily predictable. Many libido enhancing herbs are stimulants that can cause alertness and perhaps insomnia in high dosages. Therefore there are no easy answers and if his psychiatrist approves he can try low dosages of certain herbs even if it means at first taking half a capsule or tablet. It take a few days or a few weeks for the low libido to reverse and adjustments to the dosages are needed to avoid side effects.