Natural Treatment for Sexual Health

Since 1990, the prevalence of infertility issues increasing day by day and become a global health concern for many couples. Sexual health is a primary parameter for fertility. But the importance of sexual health cannot be restricted only to accomplish the family. Healthy sexual life also boosts the quality of life. Both neuronal and hormonal coordination along with physical stamina arouse libido.

Female and male both genders facing the problem of diminishing sexual desire with increasing of age. In addition, some male-specific sexual dysfunctions include premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, retardation of ejaculation, reduced libido, failure of detumesence. Whereas, some females have arousal disorder, desire disorder, sexual pain disorders.  Excessive stress level also declines the sexual desire. It has been also found different chemicals, including synthetic medicine also negatively affect sexual health.

Why natural treatment for Sexual health become popular? 

There is many modern medications are synthesized by pharmaceutical companies to improve sexual health by treating these male-specific sexual health disorders. But all these medications are not effective for every sufferer. It is also necessary to mention long-term administration of these medications have several side effects and negatively affect vital organs. Improper dosing related adverse events are also very common.  In addition, these synthetic medications are expensive and many people unable to bear the cost.

Apart from these issues, most of the females having sexual dysfunction do not seek medical treatment may due to their hesitation or due to there is no approved medication available for treating female sexual dysfunctions.

All these factors increase the demand for natural treatment for sexual health improvement. Naturopath researchers identified and assessed many botanical-compounds significantly improve sexual health for both male female individuals.

Natural treatment options

Natural treatments for sexual health is specifically herb-based. Traditionally, many herbal remedies were prescribed to treat male and female specific sexual dysfunctions.  Current herbal researchers also evaluate these herbs and get a positive result. Following are some herbal remedy effective to treat sexual health disorders:

Panax Ginseng

This herb is commonly known as American ginseng, which belongs to the Araliaceae family. Panax Ginseng Extract is a common herb extensively used in herbal preparation due to its overall health-promoting effect. 25 different triterponic saponins present as active constituents in this herb. Among these ginsenosids is primary active constituents responsible for therapeutic benefits. Panax Ginseng improves sexual health due to following pharmacological actions:

Energizing effect

Panax Ginseng acts as an energy booster by increasing the production of ATP in cellular mitochondria. It also reduces glycemic index and improves glucose metabolism. A metabolic disorder like diabetes related sexual diminishing problem can also be solved by in taking Panax Ginseng supplements.

Neuronal effect

Panax Ginseng improves neurotransmitter activity to stimulates sexual arousal, desire, and orgasm, which is essential for healthy sexual activities.

 Immunity booster

Panax Ginseng increases the cytotoxic ability of antibodies and also improves lymphocytes functioning. Thus the body defense functioning accelerated and immunity power improved. In addition, Panax Ginseng also has potent anti-oxidant property and scavenging oxygen free radicals. Reduction of free radicals burden also improves overall health.

Sex hormone secretion

Testosterone, luteinizing hormone, Follicle stimulating hormones are mainly essential to maintain sexual health. These hormonal secretions often declined with increasing of age, excessive stress level or other metabolic disorders. Supplementation of Panax Ginseng can increase testosterone, luteinizing hormone, Follicle stimulating hormone level and improve libido.

Vasodilating effect

Panax Ginseng has a vasodilating effect by increasing the synthesis of Nitric Oxide. Vasodilation, specifically in male reproductive organ prolonging penile erection duration and treat erectile dysfunction.

Germ cell functioning

Panax Ginseng promotes germ cell functioning and treats male infertility problem by increasing sperm count, improve sperm motility, and quality.

Eurycoma longifolia

The common name of this herb is herb Tongkat Ali Root. Traditionally this herb is used for the aphrodisiac purpose. The roots of Tongkat Ali are generally termed as “Malaysian ginseng. Tongkat Ali acts as an adaptogen and provides an anti-aging property that assists individuals to increase the ability for adapting to age-related reduced energy, mood, and libido.

Several bioactive phytochemicals are present in Tongkat Ali Root which include quassinoids, such as eurycomalacton, eurycomanon, and eurycomanol. Following pharmacological effects of this herb improves sexual health:

Hormonal functionality

Tongkat Ali root extract does not as a stimulant, but it is an adaptogen.  This herb does not increase the testosterone synthesis, but it maintains and restores the normal levels of testosterone by increasing the released testosterone.  Restoring and maintaining of testosterone level provides several health benefits, including boost reproductive functioning, enhancement of muscle mass and reduction of body fat, increase vitality due to mental and physical high energy and improvement of overall general well-being. Increase testosterone level also enhance sexual desire and physical stamina for prolonged love-making.

Reduce the stress level

Tongkat Ali Root can decrease cortisol level. Scientifically it is well known that cortisol level enhancement can increase stress. Therefore after consuming Tongkat Ali Root Extract, it can provide the anti-stress effect, which improves the mood of the consumer.

Obesity management

Obesity often diminishes sexual urge.  Tongkat Ali Root supplement significantly lose fat mass and improve strength and lean mass. This is not only beneficial for weight management for overweight and obese individuals but also improve sexual performance.

Improve reproductive organ functionality

Tongkat Ali Root contains 9-hydroxycanthin-6-one, which inhibits calcium ions (Ca2+) release and provides penile contraction with delaying ejaculation.

Male fertility improvement

Tongkat Ali Root can provide male fertility enhancement effect by improving sperm count and semen volume.

Macca

‘Maca’ is naturally sourced from a plant in broccoli family known as Lepidium Meyenii. Peru region is favorable for Maca growth and cultivation.Maca is used as a fertility enhancing agent, because of its aphrodisiac property in both the genders. The potential aphrodisiac effect of Maca is due to its bioactive phytochemical composition.Maca exclusively contains Maca alkaloids termed as Macaridine, which is the main bioactive component of Maca. Other included phytochemicals are Macaenes, Macamides, benzylhexadecanamide, and n-benzyloctadecanamide.

Male sexual disorders improvement

The mechanism of action of Macca is different than other herbal products. This herb induces neuronal locomotor activity which helps in improving mount latency, intromission latency, ejaculation latency, post-ejaculatory interval, and inter copulatory interval. Maca can increase sexual desires but it has no stimulant property. Macca has a neuroprotective effect, which activate spermatogenesis and improve male fertility. In addition, eryctile dysfunction can be rectified by Maca supplementation.

Female sexual disorders improvement 

Macca supplement can treat menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, sleeplessness, upset mental condition, vaginal dryness, night sweating.

Mood elevation

Anti-depressant effect of Maca can improve mood, which also effective to restore sexual desire.

Amino acid and minerals

Apart from herbal compounds, supplementation of certain amino acid and some trace minerals are also important for sexual health. L- Arginine and zinc are two natural substances improve sexual health.

L- Arginine

A number of the physiological process of the body regulated by amino acid contents. L- Arginine HCL is a formulation of amino acid named as L- Arginine. Amino acids are the smallest metabolites of proteins. Protein is considered as a body-building nutrient. Therefore,  L- Arginine HCL has a potent role in building muscles. In addition, it also improves blood circulation and increases physical performance, endurance, sexual drive, boost immunity. The intake L- Arginine HCL reduces the erectile dysfunction, gastric hyperacidity, and risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Hormonal and neuronal coordination require for Libido. L- Arginine plays a vital role in nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and improves neuronal functioning and provides vaso-relaxing and immunity boosting effect. In addition improvement of NO can also reduce the oxygen demand during physical exercise and improve endurance.

A 21 case study reports showed that supplementation of L- Arginine HCL provides a high energy level, mental freshness, increase stamina, resistance to anxiety and depression, reduce hyperacidity, enhance libido and sexual performance without causing any side effects.

Zinc

Zinc is an essential trace mineral, which has testosterone boosting property. Apart from this zinc plays various physiological activities which improve sexual health, especially for men.

Endocrinal activity

Zinc maintains the balance between testosterone and prolactin hormone level in serum. This mineral improves sexual ability by rising penile thrusting and delaying ejaculatory latency. Improvement of testosterone by administering zinc supplementation can treat hypogonadism in men. In addition, zinc inhibits aromatase and reduces estrogen levels and effective to control sexual dysfunction.

Spermatogenesis

Zinc plays an important role in the lumen and seminiferous tubules and also take part in different stages of spermatogenesis. Deficiency of Zinc leads to disruption of the testicles, impairment of the spermatogenesis which further causes poor semen parameters. But a higher dose of zinc is also not good for sexual health, as it can cause a negative effect on sperm quality by reducing its motility and count.

Antioxidant property

Zinc has the antioxidant property that can strengthen body immune functioning, which prevents frequent illness and support optimal health.

References

• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/215483102_Natural_plants_effective_in_treatment_of_sexual_dysfunction_A_Review
• https://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2012/5/Reversing-Female-Sexual-Dysfunction/Page-01
• http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/37/5/464.full
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2800928/