Spice up your Libido with Specific Nutrients
Photo by Ryan Franco on Unsplash
Yes, the heat is on and does take a toll on your entire body. Here, Jerry Hickey shares some great information on sexual health and how much more we can enjoy ourselves despite the summer heat!
By Jerry Hickey R.Ph
Heat and humidity, the dehydration, discomfort and fatigue they contribute to can take a toll on summer sexual fun. There is actually a simple way around this. Creatine monohydrate is a nutrient used frequently by athletes and body builders. Research shows it improves strength and endurance. It is also effective for memory, focus, and mental health by mostly improving mental energy and supporting the reward system in the brain that is needed for sexual satisfaction. These effects in addition to the physical effects such as improving physical endurance and performance, helps support a good libido and sexual function.
Additionally, studies in college athletes demonstrate that Creatine helps prevent dehydration and muscle-injuries while improving stamina; many of the activities that support sexual health.
How would a simple supplement do this; Creatine makes it easier for the body to use oxygen and calories for energy and it effectively recycles spent fuel promoting long term energy production. Simply mix a teaspoon of Creatine Monohydrate in a glass of water or juice and chug away. Within a few days you will experience the difference.
People with kidney disease should not use Creatine because eventually it is excreted via the kidneys and it should also not be used while undergoing physical therapy after surgery or an injury. After physical therapy and for all the rest of us Creatine Monohydrate is a very useful supplement.
The herb Maca can also help if used at a dosage of 1000mg twice to three times a day taken with meals. Maca is a cabbage and mustard related vegetable. It grows high up in the Peruvian Andes Mountains. Many native Peruvians who live in this harsh environment regularly use Maca for stamina, energy and sexual health. Maca has been studied in a number of groups and it has been shown to improve libido and desire, sexual stamina, sexual performance and even mild ED (erectile dysfunction). In a study from the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital Maca actually reversed the sexual dysfunction commonly caused by antidepressants in the SSRI family of antidepressants. Maca root alleviated the drug-induced sexual dysfunction and had a beneficial effect on libido. The dosage used in this study was 3,000mg a day.
In a very different group of people Maca was also very beneficial. Researchers from the School of Psychology and Sports Sciences, North Umbria University in the UK supplemented well trained male cyclists with Maca. Over a two-week period Maca improved cycling time and physical performance in a 40 kilometer timed cycling trial compared to placebo and these effects persisted for weeks, but it had other unexpected effects in these vigorous, young male athletes. Maca significantly improved their sexual desire and number of sexual fantasies per day. These effects have been noted in other trials as well.
What nutrients have you tried for an increased libido? Leave us a comment below!
