Aphrodisiac products have quite the reputation – for both working and not working. Many people swear by them to get their libido going, while others have tried hundreds that haven’t worked for them. So what’s the real deal about aphrodisiac stuff? Is it worth it?
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What Is An Aphrodisiac?
Aphrodisiacs are foods, scents or herbs that claim to have the ability to make a man or woman more aroused. The idea behind this is that someone can eat, smell or consume certain things and their sex drive will increase – as in, they’ll suddenly start thinking about sex and nothing but sex. Many aphrodisiacs claim not only to boost sex drive, but also to make it feel better and produce faster, harder and more pleasurable orgasms.
Some foods that can be considered aphrodisiacs are avocados and oysters, while the smell of pumpkin pie or lavender is said to be a huge aphrodisiac for men. Yohimbe bark and horny goat weed are some of the popular aphrodisiac herbs and are found in many sexual supplements.
The Placebo Effect
This is where things get really hairy, because it’s actually impossible to tell if many aphrodisiacs really work or if what is really happening is the placebo effect.
What Is The Placebo Effect?
Studies have shown that in some cases, a placebo medication will work just as well as the actual medication. What happens here is if the person is convinced they’re taking something that will be effective, it will be, simply because the brain is a powerful enough tool that it can control the body.
So basically, the placebo effect plays a significant role in assessing whether aphrodisiacs are effective or not, because if someone really believes that aphrodisiacs work, they’ll most likely get positive results whether the actual product did the trick or the person’s mind did.
Is An Aphrodisiac Really Effective?
The answer to this question is a big, resounding “Maybe!” It’s impossible to tell which aphrodisiacs are truly effective on the body and which ones aren’t due to the placebo effect. Some aphrodisiacs will increase blood flow (which in turn, increases blood flow to the vagina or penis), so people who use them may notice real, tangible effects on their bodies.
The most fun thing about trying different aphrodisiacs is trying them! Experimenting with different foods, scents and herbs that have the potential to light your sex life on fire is fun in and of itself and may just spice up your sexy time without the help of the actual products. When you play with aphrodisiacs, you’re likely going to find some that are effective and some that aren’t – and that’s the way it goes.
How To Try Them
If you really want to start “testing” out aphrodisiacs, you’ll want to follow a few simple suggestions.
- Don’t try more than one at a time. If you’re testing them and one or more of them work, you won’t be able to isolate which one it was.
- Consider keeping notes about which ones are effective and which ones are not. If you’ve only tried a few of them, it may be easy enough to remember that avocados don’t do much for you but the scent of lavender really does. If you’re trying a bunch, keeping notes can help you remember which ones to try next and which ones to avoid.
- Keep track of which aphrodisiacs are for men and which are for women. For example, lavender and pumpkin pie smells don’t do much for the ladies, but are said to really rev a guy’s libido up. If you’re using something that is “aimed” towards women and you’re a guy, it’s probably not going to be very effective unless the placebo effect is super powerful.
- Be VERY aware of what you’re consuming. Do not consume products that have not been verified as safe, and if you have any health issues such as heart problems, diabetes or other issues, discuss with your doctor what is okay for you to take and what isn’t.
Does It Really Matter, Anyways?
Think about it this way – does it really matter if an aphrodisiac works because it actually is effective or whether it was the placebo effect? Because at the end of the day, you’re turned on, whether it was the product or your brain that did it.
So make a point to have fun with aphrodisiacs and don’t stress too much about whether they work or not. Focus on relaxing, having a good time and don’t put too much pressure on yourself or your partner to perform – because that will backfire and you will likely not be having sex at all that night.