Epidemic of Sexual Side Effects From Legal Drugs

No Comments 07 April 2011

Epidemic of Sexual

Side Effects

From Legal Drugs

From an article by Ian Kerner, a sexuality counselor and New York Times best-selling author, blogs about sex on Thursdays on The Chart. Read more from him at his website, GoodInBed.

Silent Sexual Dysfunction Epidemic

Are meds zapping your mojo?

Is a prescription drug inhibiting your passion? If so, you’re far from alone.

More than 27 million Americans take antidepressant drugs and research suggests that 37 percent of those people experience sexual side effects.

And that’s just in the category of antidepressants!

When you consider that millions of drugs are prescribed for common medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, and that many of those drugs can lead to sexual dysfunction of some sort, it’s no wonder that nearly 40 million Americans describe themselves as being stuck in sexless marriages.

Many of us may be grappling with a sexual problem and not even realize that a drug or drug combination could be the underlying cause.

Sexual side effects are a silent epidemic.

Remedies For Sexual Dysfunction

Sexual side effects don’t have to destroy your sex life, but they may mean that you have to change your approach to sex. In the case of low desire (a very common sexual side effect), you may have to put your body through the motions in order to get your mind to follow. Or you may have to spend a lot more time on foreplay and getting yourself physiologically aroused. Ratush suggests trying a sexual warm-up, a technique that helps generate arousal but intentionally does not lead to climax or ejaculation. “The idea is that the process of getting aroused will increase the person’s ability to generate more of the sex hormone testosterone later in the day or later in the week,” he says. And remember that mental stimulation plays a big role in sexual arousal, so you may have to try some new things and develop some new routines.

Dealing with sexual drug side effects can be tricky and frustrating, but the point is to not just give up. Go on the web and do some research. Be proactive with your partner. Try new things in the bedroom. When you have to say “yes” to drugs, don’t say “no” to sex.

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COMMENTS:

The rest of the article has comments about switching, reducing, or otherwise working with the medications while we recommend going to the root cause of someone’s illness and not covering up symptoms with drugs that then have multiple other side-effects.

With the natural approach we supercharge our nutrition, exercise routines, periodic detoxes and mind/body work. In addition we can take specialized herbs. Here is a partial list from www.natural-herbal-remedies.net

Herbal Supplements to Increase Sexual Drive

Ashwaghanda- Ayurvedic equivalent to ginseng however less heating. Assist in increasing sexual energy. It is a well-known semen promoter and it treats impotency and infertility.
Ginko Biloba- Ginkgo biloba was reported to have a positive effect on all four phases of the sexual response cycle: desire, excitement (lubrication), orgasm, and resolution (afterglow).
Gentian- Gentiana lutea radix powder is a tonic traditionally used to support optimal functioning in all organs of the body.
Muira Puama- (Ptychopetalum olacoides) Few reputed health-enhancing plants are as popular or as widely consumed among the natives of the northern Amazon river basin as the bark of muirapuama. For centuries, this plant has been used to increase libido and improve sexual potency. The harvest and sale of muirapuama is big business throughout Brazil. As one Amazonian herbalist told me, “Muirapuama makes you sexually young again

In addition here is a list of some fruits and vegetables said to help stimulate libido:

Vegetarian Foods to Increase Libido:

Here are a few foods that might provide the fuel to spark your sexual desires and increase libido (per a post of useful info by www.askmen.com):

Celery
It contains androsterone, an odorless hormone released through male perspiration and turns women on.

Bananas
Bananas contain the bromelain enzyme, which is believed to increase libido and reverse impotence in men. Additionally, they are good sources of potassium and B vitamins like riboflavin, which increase the body’s overall energy levels.

Avocado
The Aztecs called the avocado tree ahuacatl or “testicle tree.” While avocados can indeed look like that body part, they contain high levels of folic acid to help metabolize proteins, thus giving you more energy. They also contain vitamin B6 (a nutrient that increases male hormone production) and potassium (which helps regulate a woman’s thyroid gland), two elements that increase libido in both men and women.

Almonds (or nuts in general)
Almonds are a prime source of essential fatty acids. These are vital as they provide the raw material for the healthy production of hormones. Additionally, the smell of almonds is purported to arouse passions.

Mangoes, peaches and strawberries
All of the above fruits and their shapes, textures and succulence are erotically suggestive and can be fun to use amid foreplay. Askmen.com suggests try dribbling the juices over your bodies and licking up in an erotic game to discover each other’s bodies.

Figs
These are high in amino acids, which are believed to increase libido. They can improve sexual stamina. Furthermore, the shape of a fresh fig and the sweet, juicy taste are highly pleasurable to the human senses.

Garlic
Garlic contains allicin, an ingredient that increases blood flow to the sexual organs. As such, it’s a highly effective herb to help increase libido. If the odor just won’t work for you — or you can’t stand garlic — you can take capsules instead.

Chocolate
Last but not least, chocolate is a sure-fire sexual stimulant. It contains theobromine — an alkaloid — which is very similar to caffeine. It also has phenylethylamine, something believed to produce the feeling of “being in love.” In addition, dark chocolate has a massive amount of anti-oxidants, which are great for the body in general to help maintain the immune system.