Do aphrodisiacs work?
The subject of Aphrodisiacs has been one of the greatest controversies and debates throughout the ages – and there are still those who do not believe that foods or herbs can affect the libido. The jury is still out: It’s amazing to note the enormous discrepancy in belief as to whether aphrodisiacs actually work. So is it superstition or is it science? It’s said by some that no aphrodisiac has been proven by science – but what does that really mean? If one investigates scientific literature, one can easily find papers (for example this one) in which herbal substances have shown marked aphrodisiac qualities in the lab. It would appear that there’s plenty of scientific evidence that certain aphrodisiacs work. But the subject is highly charged – and part of the reaction seems to be one of an assumption that anything herbal is based on superstition. And of course, safety is another factor entirely. Some supposed aphrodisiacs, such as rhino horn – long believed in China to have aphrodisiac q
