Show 1089: How Plants Can Improve Your Sex Life

People around the world have learned how to use the plants in their vicinity to heal themselves and make life better. Not surprisingly, many cultures have found plants that can improve your sex life. What are they?

The Medicine Hunter:

Our guest is Chris Kilham, known as the Medicine Hunter. He travels to remote locations to learn what native people can teach him about plants. In many regions, people treasure plants that can help restore sexual interest or ability. They range from the maca of the Andes to Ashwagandha from India and Rhodiola rosea of northwestern China, Siberia and Scandinavia.

How Could Plants Improve Your Sex Life?

Kilham reports that Rhodiola rosea, for example, can increase energy and endurance, and that women who have lost their periods can regain normal cycles by taking the herb. Tongkat ali, a plant from Malaysia, has androgenic activity and appears to benefit men with erectile dysfunction. Maca, on the other hand, is not used for erectile dysfunction, but rather to improve sexual desire and drive in both sexes.

You might be surprised to see Theobroma cacao in the list of "hot plants." It is the source of chocolate, of course. Yet the cacao bean itself, without sugar, is full of feel-good compounds such as anandamide, kaempferol and quercetin. Kilham characterizes it as a "love drug." Listen to see if you agree.

This Week’s Guest:

Chris Kilham is an ethnobotanist, author and educator who has taught in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is founder of Medicine Hunter Inc. and has conducted medicinal plant research in more than 45 countries.

Chris works with companies to develop and popularize traditional plant-based food and medicinal products into market successes. These include kava, maca, rhodiola, schisandra, tamanu oil, cat’s claw, dragon’s blood, ayahuasca, and hundreds of other plants. Chris also works to bridge worlds, regularly sharing information about other cultures through presentations and media.

We are speaking with him about his book, Hot Plants: Nature’s Proven Sex Boosters for Men and Women. His website is www.MedicineHunter.com