Better Sex Diet
By
Manik ThaparFor those of us who could use a
little libido pick-me-up, the grocery store might be a
good place to start.
Like many aspects of our health, our sex drive is
affected by what we put into our bodies. A few drinks
and a thick steak, followed by a rich chocolate dessert,
may sound romantic, but it is actually a prologue to
sleep--not sex.
Humans have sought ways to enhance or improve their
sex lives for millennia--and have never been reluctant
to spend money to make themselves better lovers. The
ancient Romans were said to prefer such exotic
aphrodisiacs as hippo snouts and hyena eyeballs.
Traditional Chinese medicine espoused the use of such
rare delicacies as rhino horn. Modern lovers are no less
extravagant. In 2004, for example, according to
Atlanta-based health care information company NDCHealth
, Americans spent about $1.4 billion to treat male
sexual function disorders alone.
Of that amount, Viagra rang up $997 million in sales
for Pfizer or 71.2% of the total market. Among the other
drugs trying to find their way into American's bedside
tables and back pockets are Levitra, which is made by
Bayer but marketed in the U.S. by GlaxoSmithKline and
Schering-Plough and Cialis, which was jointly developed
by Eli Lilly and ICOS There is a difference, of course,
between helping sexual dysfunction and arousing our
passions. The problem is that, these days, there are
more solutions for the former than the latter.
Aphrodisiacs, for the most part, have been proved to
be ineffective. Named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess
of sex and beauty, these include an array of herbs,
foods and other "agents" that are said to awaken and
heighten sexual desire. But the 5,000-year tradition of
using them is based more on folklore than real science.
"There is no data and no scientific evidence," says
Leonore Tiefer, clinical associate professor of
psychiatry at the New York University School of
Medicine. "Product pushers are very eager to capitalize
on myths," she says.
Most libido-enhancing products offer short term
benefit at best, according to Dr. John Mulhall, Director
of the Sexual Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian
and associate professor of urology at the Weill Medical
College of Cornell University. Mulhall, who also sits on
the Nutraceuticals Committee of the Sexual Medicine
Society of North America, says: "Every year we review
the literature on these compounds--these nutraceuticals
like nitric oxide and ginseng--and there are none that
have really been shown to be more than a placebo."
When it comes to sexual function, the placebo effect
is probably 30% in men and around 50% in women, he says.
That means there are a lot of people out there who
believe a pill they are taking or a food they are eating
is doing a lot of good for them sexually. In reality,
their mind is doing all the work.
So, besides renting The Story of O and opening a
bottle of red wine, what can people do to kick start
their sex life?
One thing they can do is change their diet. Soy, for
example, binds estrogen receptors, which helps the
vaginal area remain lubricated, and combats symptoms of
menopause--particularly hot flashes. Studies have shown
that soy is also beneficial to the prostate, a crucial
male sex organ. Chili peppers and ginger are believed to
improve circulation and stimulate nerve endings, which
could, in turn, improve sexual pleasure.
Foods that promote weight loss also hold
libido-boosting potential. "There has been very solid
research showing that obesity is a risk factor for
erectile dysfunction and low testosterone," says Dr.
Ridwan Shabsigh, director of the New York Center for
Human Sexuality and associate professor of urology at
Columbia University's medical school. "Reducing weight,"
he says, "results in an increase of testosterone, and
thus an increase in sexual function."
"From an erection stand point, anything that's good
for your heart is good for your penis," says Dr. Mulhall.
Too much saturated fat can, over time, clog arteries
and, in doing so, prevent an adequate flow of blood from
reaching the genital region. This not only interferes
with the ability to perform, but also with sexual
pleasure. Too little fat, on the other hand, is also
bad.
"You need fat to produce your hormones," says Beverly
Whipple, professor emeritus at Rutgers University and
president of the World Association for Sexology.
"Cholesterol is metabolized in the liver, and you get
your testosterone and estrogen, which you need for your
sex drive," she says. Olive oil, salmon and nuts are
optimal sources of the "good" kinds of
fats--monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
According to Dr. Judith Reichman, author of I'm Not
in the Mood: What Every Woman Should Known about
Improving Her Libido, medical and hormonal problems are
major contributors to sexual dysfunction and a low
libido--but so are too much stress, relationship
difficulties and psychological issues. Antidepressants,
such as Prozac by GlaxoSmithKline and Paxil by Eli
Lilly, can negatively impact sex drive as well.
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