Aphrodisiacs: History, Science, and Modern Research

Introduction: What Are Aphrodisiacs?

Named after Aphrodite, the Ancient Greek Goddess of Love, aphrodisiacs are generally foods or aromas prized as erotic stimulants (Mallon 1999). Although these substances have intrigued humans since antiquity, it has only been recently that research and writing have brought them from the mystical to the medical realm, "giving new credence to the notion that lotions and potions can stimulate desire and enhance sexual experiences" (Fain 1996).

Ancient and Cross-Cultural Traditions

Since the earliest recorded history, cultures have prized certain foods and scents for their aphrodisiac qualities. The Greeks valued onions, carrots, truffles, and sturgeon to excite their passions, while the Romans believed that liver of pike, peacock brains, and flamingo tongues could inflame romance (Mallon 1999). The Romans also valued crushed celery seeds, even dedicating celery to Pluto, their god of sex (Mallon 1999). The Aztecs named the avocado ahucatl, meaning "testicle," and after Spanish explorers spread news of the avocado's stimulating powers, Catholic priests forbade their parishioners from eating it (Mallon 1999). In the Tantric tradition, bananas were associated with erotic energy due to their shape, and according to legend, the serpent that tempted Eve hid in a bunch of bananas (Mallon 1999).

Originally from Afghanistan, carrots were used by Middle Eastern royalty to aid seduction and were considered a particularly effective aphrodisiac for men. The fig, originally from Syria and one of the oldest known cultivated plants, was said to act as a powerful sexual stimulant and was reportedly Cleopatra's favorite fruit (Mallon 1999). Because figs are also associated with fertility and love, in many southern European countries wedding guests throw figs instead of rice at newlyweds (Mallon 1999). Ginger has been prized in China for more than 3,000 years, as its spicy scent is said to stir the flames of passion, while the Persians believed liquorice had strong aphrodisiac powers — girls who mixed it with milk, honey, and butter were said to become a hundred times more alluring (Mallon 1999). Mustard, described in the Bible as "the greatest amongst herbs," is believed to have a powerful effect on the sexual glands, and a folk remedy for impotence historically recommended applying mustard to the affected area (Mallon 1999).

It seems humans have long been passionate in their search for passion, and the variety of substances tried over the years to provoke sexual desire is astounding (Schwarcz 2003). Bird's nest soup and ginseng were among ancient Chinese favorites, while the Kama Sutra, compiled between 100 and 300 A.D., recommended an elixir made of honey, milk, licorice, and fennel juice (Schwarcz 2003). The Roman philosopher Pliny believed that consuming a lizard drowned in its owner's urine had an aphrodisiac effect on the person who provided it; alternatively, one could dine on the right lobe of a vulture's lung (Schwarcz 2003).

Foods that resembled appropriate body parts were especially prized. Asparagus, for example, was recommended for stirring lust by the European herbalist Nicolas Culpeper (Schwarcz 2003). Sixteenth-century Italian physician Leonardo Fioravanti prescribed a tonic of nuts and cinnamon sticks for men who "needed a little help," while Casanova reportedly maintained a regular diet of oysters "supposedly because of their resemblance to the female private parts" (Schwarcz 2003). Casanova was also said to be a chocolate fanatic and always ate some before entering the boudoir (Mallon 1999). Indeed, chocolate is considered one of the undisputed kings of aphrodisiacs, and its reputed powers on the sexual appetite led to a chocolate ban being imposed in some monasteries (Mallon 1999). The aroma of almonds is reputed to excite women and is a common ingredient in creams and soaps (Mallon 1999). Other purported libido boosters include rhinoceros horn, nutmeg, truffles, deer antlers, elk horns, seal penises, and ground goat testicles — specifically the left one (Schwarcz 2003).

Mainstream Western medicine has largely shunned the study of aphrodisiacs as serious medicine. "Because sexuality has traditionally been viewed as a nonessential part of health and well-being, funding of research to promote healthy sexual functioning is less than that for other health issues," says Dr. Barbara Bartlik, a researcher in the Human Sexuality Program at a major medical center (Fain 1996).

From Folk Remedy to Medical Research

However, according to Dr. Theresa Crenshaw, a San Diego specialist in sexual medicine and human relationships, the study of aphrodisiacs is important because "sexual dysfunction is a side effect of a number of pharmaceuticals and it is one of the two most common reasons — weight gain being the other — people stop taking lifesaving medications" (Fain 1996). Crenshaw first became interested in researching aphrodisiacs more than twenty years ago when patients taking medications for unrelated ailments complained of sexual dysfunction (Fain 1996). Men taking antihypertensives often complained of impotence, while both men and women taking antidepressants reported inhibited desire and difficulties with orgasm or ejaculation (Fain 1996). Crenshaw began to believe that "with so many substances that could depress sexual function in one way or another, there must be ways to influence the same mechanisms favorably ... And indeed that turned out to be so" (Fain 1996).

Research by Crenshaw and others has given medical viability to aphrodisiacs, many of which are now available by prescription (Fain 1996). Crenshaw and James P. Goldberg, a clinical research psychopharmacologist in San Diego, compiled their findings into Sexual Pharmacology: Drugs That Affect Sexual Function, a 600-page encyclopedia listing a wide range of medications, herbs, hormones, and other substances that both enhance and depress sexual performance (Fain 1996). Among the notable entries are the following:

Yohimbine, a bark extract, has been shown to increase sexual desire and performance, especially in men with diabetic neurological impairments. Prozac and related drugs are now a standard treatment for premature ejaculation, and the antidepressant Wellbutrin has been found to enhance desire in both men and women.