We are all looking for love. Look inside yourself, dig past those lofty ambitions and be honest: you want love in your life. The desire to be loved and also to love is as timeless as the phrase “is as timeless as”. The course of history has been changed by the search for love. You only have to read the article on great love matches in this publication to know this is true.
It comes as no surprise then that one constant in the human spirit’s relentless search for knowledge has been the quest for those potions, unguents, charms and spells that will increase desire for us in others and that will boost our own attractiveness and capacity when it comes to love. To a large degree, the measures employed over the centuries have worked, if they have at all, because of the power of the mind. Still, among the panoply of aphrodisiacs and love-enhancers over the centuries there have been some howling frauds so let us see what we can safely ignore and what might actually be of some use.
The chemistry of desire
The first thing to be clear about in the pursuit of love potions is that love is a highly complex state. As we have seen throughout this publication, love comes in variety of forms and cannot be simplified down to something that can be created in an instant (although falling in love comes close). What we are really talking about therefore is the creation of desire. There are also two levels to desire: the mental arousal that creates the scenario for interest in another and the physical arousal that, hopefully, follows.
On the physical level, desire begins when a sight, smell or sound causes signals to be sent from the limbic system of the brain via the nervous system to the pelvic region. These signals tell the blood vessels to dilate. This dilation creates an erection in both men and women. For women, the erectile tissues are found in the clitoris and the region around the vaginal entrance while in men they are, of course, found in the penis. After allowing a rush of blood, the vessels then close so that those erectile tissues stay erect. This erection is accompanied by rapid heart rate. At the same time, the brain is releasing hormones and neurotransmitters that tell the body this is a good and pleasurable thing happening.
Love magic
Since the time of the ancient Greeks magic has been invoked in efforts to create love where none existed. For the Greeks this might take two forms. The first was a darker form of magic using effigies similar to those used by practitioners of voodoo. The practitioners of this dark magic were usually men who intended to make the woman represented experience lust to the extent that she would leave her family.
Another, whiter, form of love magic was favoured by Greek women. In this form, women applied herbs to make an errant lover return or to restore harmony to a dysfunctional relationship.
Both types of love magic usually involved spells or incantations but they also relied heavily on ointments that could be spread on the clothing of the object of affection or herbs to sprinkle in their food. For the ancient Greeks there was minimal, if any, distinction between magic and medicine. Many of the herbs and foods that the Greeks regarded as magic love-conjurers have persisted through the centuries. We still use many of them for their aphrodisiac effects, the difference being that we attribute their actions to chemistry rather than magic.
Foods for feelings
Across cultures and across the centuries foods have been used as aphrodisiacs. Often the reputation gained by a food was more to do with its appearance than any real effects, but some foods do stand up to analysis as passion boosters.
Aniseed
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed you could increase desire by sucking on anise seeds. Aniseed does contain a compound called anethole, which acts like oestrogen in the body and might be behind aniseed’s reputation as a stimulator of sex drive.
Avocado
In Aztec society, virginal young girls were forbidden to wander among the avocado groves at harvest time. The avocado tree was called “testicle tree” by the Aztecs because its fruit hangs in pairs on the tree, resembling the male testicles. Its aphrodisiac value is based on this resemblance but the capacity ends there.
Bananas
The phallic shape of the banana has earned it an aphrodisiac reputation. The fruit is rich in potassium and B vitamins, which are involved sex hormone production.
Basil
For centuries, it has been believed that basil stimulated sex drive and boosted fertility as well as producing a general sense of wellbeing. The scent of basil was said to drive men so wild that women would dust their breasts with dried and powdered basil, the added benefit of this approach being that if no passion is generated you at least have the basis of a nice pesto.
Chocolate
Chocolate has forever been associated with love and romance. The Mayan civilisation of Central America worshipped the cacao tree and called it “food of the gods”. When the Spaniards encountered the Aztec civilisation, the ruler Montezuma drank 50 goblets of chocolate (cacahuatl) each day, reportedly to enhance his sexual abilities.
Analysis has found that chocolate contains phenylethylamine and raises serotonin levels, which is partly why it has a feel-good effect. Chocolate also contains substances that have the same effect on the brain as marijuana. The substance is a neurotransmitter called anandamide, which binds to the same receptors in your brain that your natural endorphins normally occupy. The amount of anandamide in chocolate is not enough to get a person “high”, like marijuana might, but it could be enough to add to the good feelings that serotonin and phenylethylamine produce. All this does not necessarily mean chocolate will increase desire, but if it makes you feel good enough, it might lower your inhibitions so you are more receptive to certain suggestions.
Carrots
The phallus-shaped carrot has been associated with sexual stimulation since ancient times and was used by early Middle Eastern royalty to aid seduction.
Figs
Figs are another fruit that claims aphrodisiac qualities based on its appearance. An open fig is thought to look similar to female sex organs.
Liquorice
In ancient China, people used liquorice to enhance love and lust. The smell appears to be particularly stimulating. Alan R. Hirsch MD, neurological director of the Smell and Taste Research Foundation in Chicago, conducted a study that looked at how different smells stimulated sexual arousal. He found that the smell of black liquorice increased the blood flow to the penis by 13 per cent. When combined with the smell of donuts, that jumped to 32 per cent. Mind you, Hirsch’s research also found that the smell of pumpkin pie stimulated blood flow to the genitals, which raises the question of how specific his findings are to the American context.
Nutmeg
In ancient China, women prized nutmeg as an aphrodisiac and researchers have found it to increase mating behaviours in mice. There is no evidence to prove the same happens in humans but we do know that in high quantities nutmeg can have a hallucinogenic effect.
Oysters
The Romans documented oysters as aphrodisiacs in the 2nd century CE. One of the preferred forms of seduction by renowned womaniser Casanova was reportedly to slip an oyster from his mouth into the mouth of his seductee while kissing. Whether or not this form of oyster sharing would be regarded favourably by most women is open to debate but we do know oysters are high in the mineral zinc, which has been associated with improving sexual potency and fertility in men (see below). Additionally, clams and oysters have been found to contain D-aspartic acid and NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) both of which may be effective in raising levels of the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen. Whether there is enough of either of these compounds in oysters to make any difference has not been proven.
Pine nuts
People have been using pine nuts to stimulate libido for centuries. Like oysters, they are high in zinc. The medical scholar Galen recommended eating 100 pine nuts before going to bed.
Herbal helpers
In every cultural tradition there are herbs that have reputed aphrodisiac powers. In many cases, these claims are valid but we will look here at just a few of the commonly available herbs that might justly be labelled love boosters.
Nettle
Urtica dioica, commonly called nettle root, is often used as a diuretic or to assist in relieving arthritis pain, but it also has beneficial effects on free testosterone levels. To understand how nettle may be an aphrodisiac we need to know that a globulin substance called SHBG inhibits the level of free testosterone in blood by binding to it, thereby rendering it biologically inactive. Research has found, however, that nettle extract has a greater affinity for SHBG than does testosterone. As a result, SHBG more readily binds to the constituents of the nettle extract, successfully counteracting its effect and thereby increasing the level of free testosterone.
Ginseng
Ginseng is an adaptogen that improves overall wellbeing but also has specific benefits for sexual capacity. Notably, it is Asian ginseng (as opposed to American or Siberian ginseng) that has shown significant benefits for sexual performance and libido. Aphrodisiacs tend to do one of three things: increase desire, improve the ability to perform sexually or increase sexual pleasure. Ginseng seems to do all three. In a study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Asian Ginseng has been shown to improve ability to achieve erection and also enhance libido and “copulatory performance”.
Withania
The Indian herb Withania somnifera is another herbal adaptogen. Most cultures have discovered a herb or food with the restorative properties that we refer to as “adaptogenic”. Withania’s Sanskrit name is áshwaghanda, which means “the vitality and sexual energy of a horse”. If your partner is not too nervous at the prospect of Phar Lap-like sexual capacities, withania may be a good herbal adaptogen to try for support of your sexual health. In older men it has been shown to maintain vitality and improve sexual performance.
Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo)
Ginkgo may help support sexuality by increasing blood flow to the genitals. In theory this will hold true for women but most of the trials have been done on men. One double-blind trial found improved sexual function in men taking 240mg per day of a standardised ginkgo extract for nine months. Another trial involving 30 men who were experiencing erectile dysfunction as a result of medication use (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other medications) found that approximately 200mg a day of ginkgo extract had a positive effect on sexual function in 76 per cent of the men.
Sexy supplements
Arginine
For sexual arousal in the genital area, a naturally produced chemical is needed to relax blood vessels in a part of the body called the corpus cavernosum. The corpus cavernosum is a spongy bundle of tiny nerves, surrounded and filled with blood vessels. It is located in the penis and clitoris and it transmits endorphin-stimulating impulses to the brain. For men, penile erection and optimal sensation require proper function of the corpus cavernosum and, for women, the ability to enjoy sex and achieve orgasm is often dependent on clitoral corpus cavernosum activity.
The corpus cavernosum becomes active when it is engorged with blood during periods of sexual excitement, and its stimulation is dependent on the relaxation of genital muscles during sexual arousal. Nitric oxide (NO) and its metabolite cyclic GMP (cGMP) are the two dominant chemicals that induce genital muscle relaxation and subsequently increased blood flow to the corpus cavernosum. This is where the amino acid arginine supports sexual health as it promotes natural nitric oxide production in the body.
Like the drug sildenafil (Viagra), arginine causes the production of nitric oxide that leads to increased levels of cGMP. The longer cGMP levels are maintained, the better the chance of achieving and maintaining an erection. In one trial, men with erectile dysfunction were given 2800mg of arginine a day for two weeks. Six of the 15 men in the trial were helped by arginine, though none improved while taking placebo. In another double-blind trial, men with erectile dysfunction were given 1670mg of arginine a day or a matching placebo for six weeks. Arginine supplementation was found to be effective at improving erectile dysfunction in men with abnormal nitric oxide metabolism.
Although it obviously is a great option for men, arginine can also help women. The nitric oxide produced from arginine improves vaginal circulation in women and stimulates the perivascular nerves in the genital area involved in sexual arousal.
Zinc
Adequate zinc levels are essential for hormonal activity and reproductive health as well as for normal physiological function in both men and women. In men, the testes and prostate have particularly high concentrations of zinc. The sites where male hormones attach to cells require zinc in order to function. Zinc deficiency substantially reduces testosterone levels, sperm production and muscle endurance.
One study found that young men who were put on restricted zinc intake had a significant drop in testosterone levels and older men who were zinc-deficient had a rise in blood testosterone levels when given zinc supplements.
Zinc can be taken as a supplement or it can be found in oysters, crab meat, beef, lamb, salmon, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, lentils and chickpeas.
Petals for petting
Many flowers have had love-related powers attributed to them over the years but, generally, there has been little substance beyond belief to the claims.
It is said that the Roman emperor Nero consumed vast amounts of rose wine in the belief that it made him sexually irresistible. Given his other behaviours it’s hardly a ringing endorsement that Nero favoured rose wine and it may indeed have been the fact that Nero slept on a bed of rose petals or was supreme ruler of the Roman Empire that made his charms irresistible to some.
In England, the presence of honeysuckle in a woman’s bedroom was said to promote erotic dreams. Bay leaves placed under a girl’s pillow were believed to promote dreams of her future husband.
In China, the heady aroma of jasmine has long been believed to have seductive properties. To facilitate an evening’s lovemaking, Chinese women would wear in their hair jasmine buds that were picked in the late afternoon so that by evening they would begin to open. The women would ensure that they still wore the buds in their hair when they went to bed where the heat from the two bodies would heighten the seductive aroma.
The smell of seduction
The use of aromas to enhance seduction by Chinese women is not unique and has a sound basis in biology. The olfactory lobe, the part of the brain that processes scent, is part of the limbic system, which is associated with emotion and the formation of memory. That’s why scents have a direct route to the emotions.
The most commonly used essential oils for their aphrodisiac effects are jasmine, neroli, rose, ylang ylang and sandalwood. Whichever essential oils you choose, they will work best if you create an environment where emotional and sensual closeness can thrive. Draw a hot bath for your partner, add a few drops of essential oil to the water and light some candles around the tub. Add a gentle massage to the equation and romance is almost guaranteed.
Music hath powers
Music is proven to affect your mood and your behaviour. It is also something of a love potion in itself. This is known anecdotally and you probably can think of instances in your own life where music has served as a lubricant for the wheels of love. It has also been proven scientifically in a study published in the journal Psychology of Music in August 2010.
The researchers set out to test whether listening to a love song would make a woman more likely to accept a proposal for a first date from an unknown man. First they had a group of women (who were not in the study) rate a group of men for attractiveness. The researchers then chose the man judged by most women as “average” looking to be their man for the experiment: the man’s name was Antoine.
The next phase was to set Antoine up in a room while a series of women came and waited in a waiting room. While in the waiting room the women listened to either a love song or a neutral song. The women were then ushered into the room with Antoine where they engaged in a discussion about food products guided by the experimenter. That experimenter then left them alone for a moment, which is when Antoine delivered his line, “My name is Antoine, as you know. I think you are very nice and I was wondering if you would give me your phone number. I’ll phone you later and we can have a drink together somewhere next week.”
The significant finding was that when the women had been listening to a love song Antoine had a 52 per cent success rate in getting a first date but when they had been listening to a neutral song the success rate dropped back to 28 per cent. This might be due to either a generally positive feeling being generated by the love song or the song may have acted as a “prime” to prepare the women for displays of behaviour associated with that prime. Whatever the reason, it certainly seems that loading up your iPod with a few love songs to be subtly played next time you ask someone out on a date certainly won’t do any harm.
Sex life killersAs much as you might look for things to boost your love life, if you are doing too many things that destroy your sexuality, then even the greatest aphrodisiacs will not work. Here are a few of the things you should avoid:
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The Spanish Fly mythPerhaps one of the most famous aphrodisiacs is Spanish fly. It is made from a beetle that secretes an acid-like juice, called cantharidin, from its leg joints when threatened. Since it is difficult to remove just the juice, the entire beetle is dried and crushed to produce the powder. When Spanish fly powder is ingested, the body excretes the cantharidin in the urine. This causes intense irritation and burning in the urogenital tract, which then leads to itching and swelling of the genitals. This swelling and burning was once assumed to be sexual arousal and led to the belief that Spanish fly had aphrodisiac qualities. In reality, however, cantharidin is highly toxic. The kidneys may become inflamed from its use and can be permanently damaged. Spanish fly can also cause severe gastrointestinal disturbances, convulsions and even death. Just so no more beetles die needlessly, let it be forever known that Spanish Fly is not an aphrodisiac. |
As we have explored here, there are certainly some foods, herbs and other strategies that will legitimately boost desire and enhance your love life. There are also a lot of misconceptions and ultimately there is no food, herb, spell or potion as powerful as knowledge, intimacy and absolute awe at the body-and-mind Beauty of your beloved.
Terry Robson is the co-editor of WellBeing magazine, a broadcaster and an author. His latest book Failure IS an Option is published through ABC Books.
