Index of Herbs

Concern guide

Herbs for Libido and Sexual Health

Herbs that may support desire and sexual health, from ginseng to maca, with what the research shows.

13 herbs reviewed

Updated October 22, 2026

Sexual desire naturally rises and falls over a lifetime, and almost everyone goes through spells when it dips. Stress, tiredness, relationship strain, a new baby, menopause, getting older, and many common medicines can all play a part. For men, trouble getting or keeping an erection (erectile dysfunction, or ED) becomes more common with age; for women, low desire, difficulty with arousal, and vaginal dryness around menopause are frequent concerns. These are ordinary health topics, and they are worth raising with a clinician without embarrassment.

Herbs can be one part of the picture, ideally alongside a check-up. ED that keeps happening can be an early sign of heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, so it deserves a doctor’s visit in its own right. Low desire is often linked to depression, anxiety, hormone changes, relationship difficulties, or medicines such as SSRI antidepressants, blood pressure drugs, and hormonal contraception, and each of these has its own solutions, from counseling to a medication review to hormone therapy or vaginal lubricants around menopause. Proven ED medicines are available from a clinician, and a herb can sit comfortably beside that care.

The herbs below are ordered by strength of evidence for libido or sexual function, then by how commonly they are used. Ratings run from good clinical evidence to long traditional use, and for sexual health the best-supported herb currently sits at promising: ginseng has the most trials, mainly in men with ED. Research is still emerging, with small, short trials that test different products, and maca and tribulus are among the few herbs studied in women as well as men. Each herb links to its full monograph, and the safety section covers the “male enhancement” products and yohimbe warnings that matter most.

02 The shortlist

The herbs, from best studied to time-honored

How to read the ratings

  • Good clinical evidence
  • Promising clinical evidence
  • Early or mixed evidence
  • Long traditional use

Ratings show how much research backs each herb for this particular concern. Every herb links to its full monograph, with preparations, safety notes, and sources.

  1. 01 Ginseng

    Promising clinical evidence

    Panax ginseng

    Asian ginseng, often sold as Korean red ginseng, is the most studied herb for erectile dysfunction. NCCIH says some research shows it seems to improve sexual function in men with ED, and a 2021 Cochrane review of nine trials in 587 men found it may improve self-reported ability to have intercourse, though gains on standard questionnaires were small. The trials lasted up to 12 weeks, so longer studies would help. It can cause insomnia, may lower blood sugar, and interacts with warfarin.

    Read the ginseng monograph →

  2. 02 Maca

    Early or mixed evidence

    Lepidium meyenii

    Maca is an Andean root vegetable sold as a powder for desire and energy, and it has been studied in both men and women. In a 12-week trial in healthy men, maca improved self-reported sexual desire without changing testosterone, and in a trial of 45 women with antidepressant-related sexual side effects, more women saw those side effects resolve on maca than on placebo, especially after menopause. Reviews still call the evidence limited. It is generally well tolerated, though concentrated supplements are best avoided in pregnancy.

    Read the maca monograph →

  3. 03 Tribulus

    Early or mixed evidence

    Tribulus terrestris

    Tribulus, or puncture vine, is sold mainly as a testosterone booster for men, but trials in healthy men found no rise in testosterone. Its more interesting results are in sexual function: in a 12-week trial of 180 men with mild to moderate ED, a Bulgarian extract improved erection scores modestly more than placebo, though a smaller trial found no benefit, and small trials in women with low desire, before and after menopause, reported improvements. Reviews rate this evidence low to very low. Avoid it in pregnancy, and note that rare kidney and liver injuries have been reported.

    Read the tribulus monograph →

  4. 04 Ashwagandha

    Early or mixed evidence

    Withania somnifera

    Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic root best known for easing stress, which often plays a part in low desire. NCCIH notes limited evidence that two to four months of use may raise testosterone and sperm quality in some men, and its research on stress and sleep is encouraging. Studies are still small and products vary, so larger trials would help. The key cautions are rare but serious liver injury, effects on the thyroid, and avoiding it in pregnancy and with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

    Read the ashwagandha monograph →

  5. 05 Fenugreek

    Early or mixed evidence

    Trigonella foenum-graecum

    Fenugreek seed extracts are widely sold to support men’s drive and testosterone. A 2026 review of 13 placebo-controlled trials found a small rise in total testosterone in six of them, though the overall certainty was very low and the authors concluded the evidence does not yet support testosterone claims. Results vary between branded extracts, so research is still emerging. Avoid fenugreek with peanut or other legume allergy and in pregnancy, and monitor blood sugar if you take diabetes medicines.

    Read the fenugreek monograph →

  6. 06 Saffron

    Early or mixed evidence

    Crocus sativus

    Saffron has a long reputation as an aphrodisiac, and its trials focus on one specific problem: sexual side effects of SSRI antidepressants. In 36 men taking fluoxetine, four weeks of 30 mg a day improved erectile function more than placebo, and in 38 women it improved arousal, lubrication, and pain; neither trial found a change in desire or orgasm. Both were small, short trials from one Iranian research group, so research is still emerging. Never stop or change an antidepressant on your own, and avoid medicinal doses of saffron in pregnancy.

    Read the saffron monograph →

  7. 07 Yohimbe

    Early or mixed evidence

    Pausinystalia johimbe

    Yohimbe is the bark of a West and Central African rainforest tree long used as a sexual stimulant, and older trials of yohimbine, a prescription drug made from its main alkaloid, showed modest benefit for some men with ED, though current guidelines no longer recommend it. Supplements are a different matter: NCCIH says there is not enough research to show yohimbe products help, labels often do not say how much yohimbine they contain, and yohimbine has been linked to blood pressure problems, irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, and seizures. It is best avoided without close medical supervision.

    Read the yohimbe monograph →

    Evidence review: Yohimbe for Erectile Dysfunction

  8. 08 Tongkat Ali

    Early or mixed evidence

    Eurycoma longifolia

    Tongkat ali is the root of a Southeast Asian tree, sold mostly as a standardized extract for men’s vitality and libido. In a 12-week trial in 109 men aged 30 to 55, 300 mg a day improved erectile function and libido scores more than placebo, but the extract’s maker funded it and two authors were its employees, and a pooled analysis of two trials found no significant overall change in erectile function. Europe’s food safety agency could not confirm its safety, and one product in Singapore hid tadalafil in its capsule shells.

    Read the tongkat ali monograph →

  9. 09 Pine Bark

    Early or mixed evidence

    Pinus pinaster

    Pine bark extract, sold mainly as Pycnogenol, is usually tested for erectile dysfunction in combination with L-arginine. In a six-month trial in 124 men, the maker’s pine bark and L-arginine product raised erectile function scores from about 15 to 27, versus 15 to 19 on placebo, but the herb’s own share is unclear, and a 2026 review for the French urology societies found only modest, low-certainty signals. It reduces platelet clumping, so check first if you take blood thinners.

    Read the pine bark monograph →

  10. 10 Holy Basil

    Long traditional use

    Ocimum tenuiflorum

    Holy basil, or tulsi, is a revered Ayurvedic herb taken to ease stress, which can dampen desire. In a six-week trial of 150 stressed adults, recent sexual problems were among the stress symptoms that improved more with an extract than with placebo, though sexual function was not the trial’s main focus and libido-specific studies are still lacking. Concentrated extracts are best avoided by anyone pregnant or trying to conceive, since animal studies found reduced fertility, and it may add to diabetes medicines.

    Read the holy basil monograph →

  11. 11 Horny Goat Weed

    Long traditional use

    Epimedium brevicornu

    Horny goat weed (Epimedium) is a traditional Chinese tonic for impotence, sold in capsules and many enhancement blends. Its compound icariin blocks the same enzyme as sildenafil, but about 80 times more weakly in test tubes, and no trial has tested the herb alone for erectile problems. The FDA has recalled several products labeled as horny goat weed that secretly contained sildenafil or tadalafil, which can be dangerous with nitrate heart medicines, and it is best avoided with heart disease or hormone-sensitive cancers.

    Read the horny goat weed monograph →

  12. 12 Shatavari

    Long traditional use

    Asparagus racemosus

    Shatavari is the root of an Indian wild asparagus, listed as an aphrodisiac in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia and now sold as powders and branded extracts for women. Two small 2026 trials in 70 and 135 women reported better sexual-function scores, but neither has been confirmed by independent researchers, so its reputation still rests mainly on tradition. It is best avoided in pregnancy, and because of a possible hormonal effect, women with hormone-sensitive conditions should ask a doctor first.

    Read the shatavari monograph →

  13. 13 Damiana

    Long traditional use

    Turnera diffusa

    Damiana is a Mexican shrub whose leaves have long been brewed as an aphrodisiac tea, but it has never been tested alone in a randomized trial. ArginMax, a blend of damiana with L-arginine, ginseng and ginkgo, improved sexual satisfaction in two small four-week trials in women, one co-authored by maker staff, but not in a 12-week trial in 186 cancer survivors, and a damiana-only study had no control group. It is best avoided in pregnancy, and enhancement blends may hide prescription drugs.

    Read the damiana monograph →

03 Caution

Using these herbs safely

Most sexual health concerns are common and treatable, and some are worth a prompt conversation with a doctor. ED that keeps happening can be an early warning sign of narrowed arteries, heart disease, or diabetes, especially if it comes with other risk factors such as smoking or high blood pressure, so a check-up matters more than any supplement. Chest pain, shortness of breath, or a racing heart during or after sex needs emergency care, as does an erection lasting more than four hours. Pain during sex, bleeding after sex, or a sudden change in desire with other symptoms such as fatigue, weight change, or missed periods also deserves a medical visit. Low libido is often linked to medicines such as SSRI antidepressants and blood pressure drugs, to depression and anxiety, to hormone changes, or to relationship strain; a prescriber can often adjust a medicine, but never stop or switch an antidepressant on your own. Anyone having thoughts of suicide or self-harm should contact emergency services or a crisis line right away; in the US, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and in a life-threatening situation call 911.

The biggest danger in this area comes from products rather than plants. FDA warns that many “male enhancement,” stamina, and energy products, including some sold as natural supplements or honey, are secretly spiked with sildenafil or tadalafil, the active drugs in Viagra and Cialis. Combined with nitrate medicines such as nitroglycerin, which many people with heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure take, these hidden drugs can drop blood pressure to dangerous levels. Never take any ED medicine or enhancement product if you use nitrates. Yohimbe carries its own risks: NCCIH links yohimbine to irregular heartbeat, blood pressure problems, heart attacks, and seizures, notes that products are often inaccurately labeled, and advises against using it with MAOI or tricyclic antidepressants. It should not be used with heart disease, high blood pressure, anxiety or panic disorder, or seizures, or stacked with stimulants or ED drugs.

Several of these herbs interact with common medicines. Ginseng can affect warfarin, with different species pushing in different directions, may add to blood-sugar lowering from insulin and sulfonylureas, has been linked to liver injury when taken with imatinib or raltegravir, and is best stopped a week before surgery. Ashwagandha can add to the effects of sedatives, may raise thyroid hormone levels, and may interact with diabetes, blood pressure, and immunosuppressant drugs. Fenugreek may lower blood sugar and raise the effect of warfarin, and a case of serotonin syndrome has been reported with sertraline. Holy basil may lower blood sugar and thyroid hormone and slow clotting. Maca can interfere with some testosterone blood tests, so mention it before hormone testing, and anyone with a hormone-sensitive cancer should check with their oncology team before taking it. Tribulus may add to the effects of diabetes, blood pressure, and diuretic medicines and may raise lithium levels, and it is best avoided with clopidogrel after stent clots were reported with a herbal formula containing it.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: avoid ashwagandha, which carries miscarriage concerns, fenugreek supplements, which have been linked to birth defects, tribulus, which animal studies suggest may affect fetal development, and yohimbe, which may be unsafe; many experts also advise skipping ginseng, concentrated maca, and medicinal doses of saffron. Couples trying to conceive should know that animal studies found reduced fertility with holy basil and fenugreek, and that infertility deserves a fertility clinic’s input. None of these products are meant for children or teenagers. Product quality varies widely: “ginseng” may mean Asian, American, or Siberian plants with different effects, maca colors describe plant varieties rather than a tested strength, tribulus products differ by plant part and country of origin, and yohimbe supplements often contain unpredictable amounts of yohimbine. Choose single-ingredient products from reputable sellers, and stop ashwagandha or tribulus and seek care for yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, or itching, which can signal liver injury.

04 Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

The best-studied option is ginseng, mainly Asian or Korean red ginseng, which may improve men’s self-reported ability to have intercourse according to a 2021 Cochrane review, though the gains were small. Maca improved self-reported desire in a small trial in men and helped some women with antidepressant-related sexual side effects, and ashwagandha may support stress, sleep, and testosterone in some men. Because low desire often has a cause such as stress, medicines, or hormone changes, a check-up is a helpful first step.

Herbs may help a little, but MedlinePlus notes that no herb or supplement has been proven to treat ED. Ginseng has the most research, with small improvements in trials of men with mild to moderate ED. Tribulus modestly improved erection scores in one 180-man trial of mild to moderate ED, though a smaller trial found no benefit. ED can be an early sign of heart disease or diabetes, so it is worth seeing a doctor, who can also discuss proven treatments. ED pills must never be combined with nitrate medicines such as nitroglycerin, and the same applies to supplements that may secretly contain them.

Many are not. FDA warns that sexual enhancement, stamina, and “male energy” products, including some honey-based products, are often contaminated with hidden sildenafil or tadalafil that is not on the label. These drugs can drop blood pressure to dangerous levels in people taking nitrates for heart conditions. Products containing yohimbe carry added risks, as NCCIH links yohimbine to blood pressure problems, irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, and seizures, and our evidence review of yohimbe for erectile dysfunction covers the trials and risks. If you want help with sexual function, a clinician can offer tested treatments with known doses.

Possibly, and it is worth discussing with your prescriber. In a 12-week trial of 45 women whose depression had eased but who had sexual side effects from SSRI or SNRI antidepressants, more women saw those side effects resolve on maca than on placebo, especially after menopause; the trial was small, so larger studies would help. Small four-week trials also found that 30 mg a day of saffron improved fluoxetine-related erectile problems in men and arousal and lubrication in women. Never stop or change an antidepressant on your own, and never add St. John’s wort to an SSRI, because the combination can cause serotonin toxicity. A prescriber may be able to adjust the dose or switch medicines.

Most need weeks rather than days. In a trial in healthy men, maca improved sexual desire from about eight weeks, ginseng trials for ED ran for up to 12 weeks, and NCCIH notes that the limited testosterone findings for ashwagandha came from two to four months of use. If nothing has changed after about three months, it is worth stopping and talking with a doctor, especially for ED, which can signal heart or blood sugar problems.

Mostly not as advertised. Tribulus, the best-selling “booster” herb, did not raise testosterone in healthy men, and a systematic review called those marketing claims unsubstantiated, while maca improved desire without changing testosterone. Fenugreek and ashwagandha have some evidence for small rises in some men, but the certainty is low. If you are worried about low testosterone, a blood test from a clinician is the place to start.

05 References

Sources

These references support the claims in this guide. Each herb’s monograph carries its own full source list.

  1. Erection problems

    MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (NIH), 2025

    Supports ED as a possible sign of diabetes or heart disease, the warning never to combine ED pills with nitroglycerin, emergency care for an erection over four hours, and that no herb is proven to treat ED.

  2. Effect of saffron on fluoxetine-induced sexual impairment in men: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial

    Psychopharmacology (PubMed 22552758), 2012

    Supports the mixed rating for saffron: in 36 men stable on fluoxetine, 15 mg twice daily for four weeks improved erectile function and intercourse satisfaction, but not desire or orgasm.

  3. Low sex drive (loss of libido)

    NHS, 2026

    Source for common causes of low desire, including relationship problems, depression, menopause, antidepressants, blood pressure medicines, and hormonal contraception, and their treatments.

  4. Sexual Enhancement and Energy Product Notifications

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026

    FDA warning that many male enhancement, stamina, and energy products are contaminated with dangerous hidden ingredients and falsely sold as natural supplements.

  5. Tainted Honey-based Products with Hidden Active Drug Ingredients

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026

    Supports the warning that hidden sildenafil and tadalafil can interact with nitrates such as nitroglycerin and lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.

  6. Ginseng for erectile dysfunction

    Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (PubMed 33871063), 2021

    The nine-trial, 587-man review behind ginseng’s rating: small gains on erectile function scores and improved self-reported ability to have intercourse, with low-certainty evidence.

  7. Asian ginseng

    National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH), 2025

    Federal summary noting that oral Asian ginseng seems to improve sexual function in people with ED, alongside its safety cautions.

  8. Yohimbe

    National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH), 2025

    Supports the cautions that yohimbine is linked to irregular heartbeat, blood pressure problems, heart attacks, and seizures, that products are often mislabeled, and that it interacts with MAOI and tricyclic antidepressants.

  9. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maca root as treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women

    Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (PubMed 25954318), 2015

    The 45-woman trial in which more women on maca than on placebo saw their antidepressant-related sexual side effects remit, especially after menopause.

  10. Tribulus Terrestris for Female Sexual Dysfunction: A Systematic Review

    Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia (PubMed 32736394), 2020

    Supports the mixed rating for tribulus: across five randomized trials in 279 premenopausal and postmenopausal women, sexual function scores improved after one to three months, but the trials could not be pooled and the certainty of evidence was very low.

  11. Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Tribulus terrestris in male sexual dysfunction—A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

    Maturitas (PubMed 28364864), 2017

    Supports the mixed rating for tribulus: in 180 men with mild or moderate ED, 12 weeks of the Bulgarian extract Tribestan improved IIEF scores by 2.70 points more than placebo, with side effects similar to placebo.

  12. Randomized Clinical Trial on the Use of PHYSTA Freeze-Dried Water Extract of Eurycoma longifolia for the Improvement of Quality of Life and Sexual Well-Being in Men

    Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (PubMed 23243445), 2012

    Supports the mixed rating for tongkat ali: in 109 men aged 30 to 55, 300 mg a day for 12 weeks improved erectile function and libido scores more than placebo; funded by the extract’s maker, Biotropics, with two employee authors.

  13. Efficacy of Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) on erectile function improvement: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

    Complementary Therapies in Medicine (PubMed 26365449), 2015

    Two trials with 139 men showed no significant overall change in erectile function scores at 12 weeks with tongkat ali.

  14. Safety of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) root extract as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

    EFSA Journal (PubMed 34987621), 2021

    Source for the caution that EFSA could not establish the safety of a tongkat ali root extract because of DNA-damage findings in laboratory and animal tests.

  15. Investigation of a complex plant extract for mild to moderate erectile dysfunction in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm study

    BJU International (PubMed 20184576), 2010

    Supports the mixed rating for pine bark: in 124 men aged 30 to 50, Prelox, a combination of pine bark extract and L-arginine aspartate, raised erectile function scores from 15.2 to 27.1 over six months versus 15.1 to 19.0 on placebo.

  16. Phytotherapies and complementary therapies for erectile dysfunction: a focused secondary synthesis of the AFU/SFMS evidence base

    French Journal of Urology (PubMed 42229757), 2026

    Review for the French urology societies finding only modest, low-certainty signals for ginseng, L-arginine and Pycnogenol, and no routine recommendation of herbal treatments for ED.

  17. Herbal Dietary Supplements for Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Drugs (PubMed 29633089), 2018

    Supports the traditional rating for horny goat weed: 24 randomized trials of herbal ED supplements in 2,080 men included no trial of Epimedium.

  18. Potent inhibition of human phosphodiesterase-5 by icariin derivatives

    Journal of Natural Products (PubMed 18778098), 2008

    Laboratory study in which icariin from horny goat weed blocked PDE5, the enzyme sildenafil targets, but about 80 times more weakly than sildenafil.

  19. Drug recall enforcement reports: products described as horny goat weed

    US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA), 2025

    Source for the horny goat weed recall caution: five Class I recalls from 2017 to 2025 of products that contained hidden sildenafil, tadalafil or desmethyl carbodenafil.

  20. Epimedium

    Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, About Herbs, 2026

    Notes limited evidence for horny goat weed and advises avoiding it with heart disease and caution with hormone-sensitive cancers.

  21. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Volume IV: Satavari (Root)

    Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of AYUSH (e-book reproduction), 2004

    Supports the traditional rating for shatavari: the official monograph lists the root’s actions as including an aphrodisiac and rasayana (rejuvenating tonic).

  22. Safety and efficacy of Shatavari in women with low libido: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

    Journal of Medicine and Life (PubMed 42751626), 2026

    One of two small 2026 trials in women reporting better sexual-function scores with shatavari, not yet independently confirmed.

  23. Effects of Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) Root Extract on Sexual Wellness in Women: Findings from a Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Three-Arm, Parallel-Group, Placebo-Controlled Study

    International Journal of Women’s Health (PubMed 41710148), 2026

    The second small 2026 trial in women reporting better sexual-function scores with shatavari, not yet independently confirmed.

  24. A double-blind placebo-controlled study of ArginMax, a nutritional supplement for enhancement of female sexual function

    Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy (PubMed 11554217), 2001

    Supports the traditional rating for damiana: in 77 women, four weeks of ArginMax, a blend containing damiana, improved satisfaction with overall sex life in 73.5% versus 37.2% on placebo; a co-author was affiliated with the maker.

  25. The enhancement of female sexual function with ArginMax, a nutritional supplement, among women differing in menopausal status

    Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy (PubMed 16959660), 2006

    The second four-week ArginMax trial, in 108 women with low desire, in which desire improved in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

  26. Effect of ArginMax on sexual functioning and quality of life among female cancer survivors: results of the WFU CCOP Research Base Protocol 97106

    Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology (PubMed 26287032), 2015

    In 186 female cancer survivors over 12 weeks, ArginMax made no difference to desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction or pain compared with placebo.

  27. Nicht-Interventionelle Studie zum Einfluss eines Damiana-Präparates auf die Verbesserung der Symptomatik des Mangels oder Verlusts von sexuellem Verlangen bei Frauen

    Zeitschrift für Phytotherapie (Thieme), 2021

    The only study of a damiana-only product: 35 women reported better sexual function scores after eight weeks of 675 mg daily leaf extract, with no control group and two co-authors employed by the herbal medicine company Dr. Loges.

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