What Are the Best Herbs for Male & Female Libido?

Herbal supplements are derived from the oils, leaves, flowers, berries, roots, or seeds of plants. They have been used for centuries as herbal remedies and to help people achieve better health. The goal of herbal remedies is to bring the body back to its natural balance so that healing is more efficient.

Herbal supplements are an important part of your regimen for good health and wellness. The right supplements can help support organ function, improve circulation, and boost your immunity, especially when they are combined with healthy eating and regular exercise. They typically have very mild side effects, or none at all and most people tolerate them much better than many pharmaceuticals.

While we typically think of herbs as supplements to help with various ailments, they can also help support and improve regular bodily functions such as libido. If you are looking to give yours a boost, here’s what you need to know.

About Libido

Your libido is your sexual appetite or sex drive. It describes your desire for sexual activity. At its biological basic point, a person’s libido is what drives them to procreate. However, it is much more than that. When a healthy sex drive is satiated with sexual activity, it actually benefits your sexual health and overall health. There are many benefits that come with a healthy libido, particularly in a relationship. Some may surprise you.

• Helps sustain intimate relationships, making them stronger. 
• Sexual activity releases chemicals in the brain that causes the partners to bond with each other, increasing closeness and intimacy between them.
• Stronger, more effective immune system
• Better sleep
• Lowers blood pressure
• Helps to reduce stress both emotionally and physiologically
• Better heart health which may include a decreased risk of issues related to the heart
• Natural pain relief that works immediately thanks to chemicals released in the brain
• Improved self-image and self-esteem
• More energy
• Decreased anxiety and depression
• Improved mood

It may even help you live longer!

When sexual desire is lacking in a relationship, it can have a negative impact on not just the intimacy of the partners, but also how they see each other and even how they communicate with each other. Sex is a natural component of a healthy relationship and it is important to ensure that sexual pleasure and desire remain intact.

Causes of Low Libido

Low libido or loss of libido can be due to any number of factors. Different things affect different people and what may cause one person to lose their sex drive may not even faze someone else. 

Quite often, low libido can be traced back to a medical, personal, or lifestyle issue that may upset one or both partners, causing their desire to wane. The stress of life-changing events like a career change, childbirth, pregnancy, a move, breastfeeding, or an elderly parent moving into the home can change the relationship dynamic and put stress on one or both partners. The result is a diminished sexual appetite.

Other causes of a low libido include:

• Problems in the relationship
• Hectic lifestyle
• Anxiety 
• Exhaustion or fatigue
• Stress
• Contraception
• Lack of exercise
• Depression
• Alcohol or drugs
• Poor diet
• Aging
• Hormonal problems
• Certain medications including
• High blood pressure medications
• Diuretics
• Seizure medications
• SSRI antidepressants
• Medications used to treat psychosis
• Medications that reduce testosterone levels or block its effects

The truth is, anything that affects an individual psychologically, emotionally, or physically has the potential to impact their sex drive. Just because something affects one person and not the other does not make it invalid. It is important for both partners to work together and work through the issue to find a healthy, positive resolution.

Herbal supplements can often help.

Best Herbs for Male and Female Libido

There are several libido herbs that are very good for supporting sexual desire and drive. Several are included in our two adult formulas. 

Revive His Drive has some of the most effective male libido herbs including Tongkat Ali root, prickly ash bark, Yohimbe bark, maca root, stinging nettle leaf, epimedium leaf, ginkgo biloba leaf, Muira puama bark, guarana seed, and Catuaba bark.

Revive Her Drive is formulated as one of the top natural supplements for women’s libido. It contains a special blend of herbs for female libido, including motherwort leaf and flower, Dong Quai root, stinging nettle leaf, black cohosh root, ginkgo biloba leaf, Muira puama bark, French rose flower, epimedium leaf, Catuaba bark, maca root, prickly ash bark, chaste tree berry, and guarana seed.

There are several supplements that are known for their libido boosting properties, especially when they are combined with other herbs that improve sex drive.

Maca

Lepidium meyenii, or maca, is a plant that is kin to Brussels sprouts. It is part of the cruciferous vegetable family and resembles a turnip or radish. Maca is grown in the Andes Mountains. The Incas used this root for a number of uses including easing stress and improving sex drive.

In addition to increasing libido, maca may also improve memory and learning as well as boost your mood. Other benefits include easing symptoms associated with female aging and improving male fertility. It is usually well-tolerated with mild side effects that may include a jittery feeling or increased alertness.

Miura Puama

Miura Pauma also called “potency wood” is a bush that is found in the Amazon region in South America. The root and wood are the parts of the plant that are used for herbal medicine. It was traditionally used for sexual disorders and as an aphrodisiac as well as other uses.

Some other uses for Miura Pauma include easing symptoms associated with female aging, easing joint pain, and as an appetite stimulant. There is some research that suggests it may help improve sexual desire in women whose sex drive is low. It may also help with stomach upset. There are no known side effects to taking the herb but women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take the supplement.

Stinging Nettle

Urtica dioica, stinging nettle, has long been used for a variety of ailments. It was used to treat joint pain and as a diuretic in medieval Europe, but throughout the ages, it has been used for other issues as well. 

The plant’s stem and leaves have fine hairs that contain chemicals that irritate the skin upon contact. While the spines of the plant are usually very painful when touched, they may help to decrease pain when placed on a painful area of the body.

It is often used to increase libido, but there are many other uses of stinging nettle.

Stinging nettle may interact with some medications and can have a few side effects like stomach upset, but it is usually well-tolerated and any side effects are typically mild.

Epimedium Leaf

Epimedium, or “horny goat weed,” is a ground shrub that is similar to ivy and grows in the lower elevations and less humid areas of Tibet and China. It is a perennial that is native to Korea, Japan, and China. In traditional Chinese medicine, epimedium is called yin yang Huo and has been used for centuries for its many beneficial properties.

Aging women may benefit from taking the herb (along with calcium) because it may decrease bone loss in the hip and spine. It can also help relieve some menopausal symptoms like low estrogen levels.

Horny goat weed is generally safe to take but there could be side effects when taken in high doses or for a long time.

Tongkat Ali Root

Eurycoma longifolia, or Tongkat Ali, is a Southeastern Asian shrubby tree that is native to Vietnam, Indonesia, ad Malaysia although some species grow in Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

The root of this plant is believed to have aphrodisiac effects and has earned it the nickname “Ali’s walking stick.” It has long been used to help with sexual dysfunction, but also a number of other conditions  including itching and indigestion. You can reap the benefits of this plant with Cedar Bear’s Tongkat Ali Root.

These are just a few of the herbs that support libido. Cedar Bear has supplements for men and women with custom ingredients to benefit each gender based on their unique needs.

Cedar Bear Naturals

At Cedar Bear, we have herbal supplements to meet your needs whether it’s to increase your libido, support your blood sugar, or improve your overall wellness. We even have kid and pet formulas so the whole family benefits.

All of our tinctures are 100% alcohol-free, non-GMO, organic, and ethically sourced so you can feel good about the supplements you take.

Are you ready to reap the benefits of better health and wellness? Browse the Cedar Bear store and find herbal supplements for the entire family.