How Do Herbs Help With Sexual Dysfunction?

Herbal medicine has a wide range of herbs available to help the treatment of sexual dysfunction and it's causes, and they can be used and adapted precisely to an individual case. The herbs that we use can best be classified into the following categories:

• Herbs with sex hormone-like chemicals - Some herbs are now 'famous' for their ability to influence hormone levels. The best known of these herbs would be the so-called 'phyto-oestrogenic' herbs such as soya or red clover. These herbs are particularly useful during the menopause but they are also useful for men in particular circumstances. Read about the herbs...
• Herbs that optimise testosterone levels - Testosterone is the primary sex-drive hormone in men and women. Optimisation of testosterone levels can be achieved in various ways using herbs. Read about the herbs...
• Circulatory herbs - Adequate and healthy blood flow is one of the fundamentally important aspects in the maintenance of healthy sexual function. The herbs in this category act in various ways to improve the health of the circulatory system and improve blood flow. Some of them actually work in a similar way to Viagra and others stimulate the blood flow directly, help to decrease blood pressure and cholesterol or strengthen veins. Read about the herbs...
• Herbs that act on the brain and elevate mood - The creation of a "sexual state of mind" is critical in sexual function as is the alleviation of depression and anxiety. The "sexual state of mind" suffers particularly during the complex changes of the menopause. Important to the mind set required for healthy sexual function is the restoration of desire. Desire itself, from a traditional viewpoint, is an extremely important feature of not just the human mind set but of the whole Universe! Read about the herbs...
• Herbs that improve constitutional strength and energy - This may sound like a strange and vague category but it is one of the most important aspects of sexual health from a traditional perspective. Both Chinese medicine and Ayurveda for example stress the importance of raising fundamental constitutional strength for maintaining sexual and reproductive health. In fact, some of the most powerful, popular and commercially successful herbs for improving sexual function derive from this category of herbs. Read about the herbs...
• Herbs that raise eicosanoid/prostaglandin levels - Essential fatty acid containing plant oils such as hemp seed oil have many functions in the body. One of those functions is to produce eicosanoids/prostaglandins that act as chemical signallers in the body, some of which help to control the sexual cycle. Essential fatty acids may also have crucial physical benefits for women during the menopause. Read about the herbs...
• Herbs that enhance your sexual environment - This may again sound like a strange category for herbal medicine, but there are herbs that can be used as incense or as massage oils in an aromatherapeutic sense, and these herbs and plant oils etc contain components that can enhance the sexual state of mind. Some even contain hormone-like substances! Read about the herbs...