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| Herbs can increase a woman's libido without the risks of the new drug, Addyi. Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest. |
Is This Really a Win for Women?
I know a lot of women are happy to see the drug companies finally develop something besides boner pills for men. For years now, many women with waning libidos have been less than thrilled about their husband's new chemically-induced erections. But is the approval of the "Little Pink Pill" a big win for women or Wall Street?
What It Does for Women
The benefits of the pill known as flibanserin or Addyi are minimal. In clinical trials, women who took the drug had an average of 4.4 "satisfying sexual experiences a month" compared to 3.7 for those women in the trial who took a placebo. That's not even a gain of 1 extra satisfying sexual experience a month! They would probably have benefited more from watching Dirty Dancing or the Masters of Sex TV series on Showtime.
Besides having to take a pill every single day of the month to get these minimal benefits, a woman also has to risk some very serious side effects such as severely low blood pressure and loss of consciousness. Now if you are only going to experience an additional 0.7 satisfying sexual experience in a month, I would certainly think you'd want to remember it! And you know that little glass of bubbly that allows you to forget about life stresses and helps you get in the mood? Well, the doctors and pharmacists must now advise you to abstain from alcohol or the risks of this drug are increased. In fact these risks and the dangerous interaction with alcohol are so severe that this drug was rejected by the FDA twice, in 2010 and 2013. But have no fear. I'm sure the strong warning on the label telling woman not to mix sex with alcohol will be as effective as the anti-abstenance campaign for teens.
What it Did for Wall Street
Within just a few days after this drug was approved, Sprout Pharmaceuticals, the North Carolina company with less than 3 dozen employees that developed Addyi, was acquired by Quebec's Valiant Pharmaceuticals for $1 billion dollars in cash. Enough said.
What Else can Improve Libido
A while back I was taking a supplement to balance out my hormones. I noticed that it significantly increased my libido. I had no idea why. Then a few years ago my naturopath gave me a tonic to strengthen my lungs. The tonic had a similar effect on my libido. Since both the supplement (Estrotone by New Chapter) and the custom brewed tonic from my naturopath had multiple ingredients, I compared all the ingredients to see if they had anything in common. I was more than curious to discover what was supercharging my sex drive. It turned out to be the herb Schizandra.
Schizandra (Schisandra chinensis)
Schizandra is an adaptogenic herb, a class of herbs that increase the body's resistance to disease and long-term stress. Schizandra is a berry native to northeast China and parts of Russia which is dried and used in various preparations. This herb has been used in Chinese medicine for several thousand years to decrease fatigue, beautify the skin, sharpen the mind, slow the aging process, protect the liver, and as a sexual tonic for both men and women.
Schizandra is known to increase the "Water Qi in the Kidney" and increases the circulation, lubrication, and sensitivity in the female genitals.
Take as a Tonic
You can take Schizandra as a tincture such as the one made by Herb Pharm. This organic liquid extract comes in a 1 fluid ounce bottle.
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| Shake well before using. Best taken between meals. |
Schizandra can also be taken in capsule form like the ones sold by Dragon Herbs.
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| Organic Shanghai Mountain Northern Schizandra fruit |
You can also buy dried berries but you would usually use them to make a tea and not eat them like you would a goji berry.
As I mentioned before, schizandra is a key ingredient in New Chapter's Estrotone.
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Herbs before Pink Pills
Lack of libido is a serious issue. It can be caused by many different things and can have serious consequences. But before you resort to a risky and minimally effective pharmaceutical, consider taking herbs. Herbs like schizandra and others such as muira puama, damiana, and combination tinctures have been supporting female sexuality for hundreds if not thousands of years. They don't work overnight so be patient and give them a little time to do their magic. Best of all, you don't have to give up that glass of bubbly and will remain conscious for the entire experience!
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| A combination tincture from Herb Pharm that supports female libido |
Herbs are potent drugs in their own right so you should discuss them with your naturopath or herbalist before adding them to your daily health regimen. Some can interact with medications you are already taking so be mindful of that too.
