Many foods are considered aphrodisiacs. Unfortunately, there is little research to back up these claims.

Some of the foods considered to have aphrodisiac qualities include:1

Chocolate

Coffee

Strawberries

Honey

Raw oysters

Pistachios4

Apples3

There are many herbs and spices that allegedly increase sexual desire, sexual pleasure, and sexual
performance. Some of the most popular ones include:1

Tribulus terrestris

Lepidium meyenii (Maca)

Ginkgo

Panax ginseng

Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg)

Phoenix dactylifera (Date palm)

Crocus sativus (Saffron)7

Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat ali or pasak bumi)

Chlorophytum borivilianum (Safed musli)

Mondia whitei

Unfortunately, for most of these herbs, there is either no research on their effectiveness as an
aphrodisiac, or the research is only based on animal studies, not studies in humans.1

The FDA has approved a few medications that have aphrodisiac qualities. Some of these medications
increase sexual potency and help treat erectile dysfunction, including:6
Sildenafil (Viagra)

Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)

Tadalafil (Cialis)

Avanafil (Stendra)

5. West E, Krychman M. Natural aphrodisiacs—A review of selected sexual enhancers. Sex Med Rev.
2015;3(4):279-288. doi:10.1002/smrj.62

1. Kotta S, Ansari SH, Ali J. Exploring scientifically proven herbal aphrodisiacs. Pharmacog Rev.
2013;7(13):1-10. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.112832

7. Kashani L, Raisi F, Saroukhani S, et al. Saffron for treatment of fluoxetine-induced sexual dysfunction
in women: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2013;28(1):54-
60. doi:10.1002/hup.2282

3. Cai T, Gacci M, Mattivi F, et al. Apple consumption is related to better sexual quality of life in young
women. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2014;290:93–98. doi:10.1007/s00404-014-3168-x

4. Salas-Huetos A, Muralidharan J, Galiè S, Salas-Salvadó J, Bulló M. Effect of nut consumption on erectile

and sexual function in healthy males: A secondary outcome analysis of the FERTINUTS randomized
controlled trial. Nutrients, 2019;11(6),1372. doi:10.3390/nu11061372

80. Zhang, L.; Dou, X.-W.; Zhang, C.; Logrieco, A.F.; Yang, M.-H. A review of current methods for analysis
of mycotoxins in herbal

medicines. Toxins 2018, 10, 65. [CrossRef]

Yakubu, M. T., Oyeyipo, T. O., Quadri, A. L., & Akanji, M. A. (2013). Effects of aqueous extract of Musa
paradisiaca root on testicular function parameters of male rats. Journal of basic and clinical physiology
and pharmacology, 24(2), 151–157. https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2012-0059

Ajibesin, K. K., Bala, D. N., & Umoh, U. F. (2012). Ethno medicinal survey of plants used by the indigenes
of Rivers State of Nigeria. Pharmaceutical biology, 50(9), 1123-1143.

Oyelade, B. O., Jemilohun, A. C., & Aderibigbe, S. A. (2016). Prevalence of erectile dysfunction and
possible risk factors among men of South-Western Nigeria: a population based study. Pan African
Medical Journal, 24(1).

Allouh, M. Z., Daradka, H. M., Barbarawi, M. M. A., & Mustafa, A. G. (2014). Fresh onion juice enhanced
copulatory behavior in male rats with and without paroxetine-induced sexual dysfunction. Experimental
Biology and Medicine, 239(2), 177-182.
Sabiu, S., & Ashafa, O. T. A. (2016). Toxicological implications and laxative potential of ethanol root
extract of Morella serrata in loperamide-induced constipated Wistar rats. Pharmaceutical biology,
54(12), 2901-2908.

Yakubu, M. T., & Quadri, A. L. (2012). Garcinia kola seeds: is the aqueous extract a true aphrodisiac in
male Wistar rats?. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 9(4), 530-
535.

Afolayan, A. J., & Yakubu, M. T. (2009). Erectile dysfunction management options in Nigeria. The journal
of sexual medicine, 6(4), 1090-1102.

Singh, S., Nair, V., & Gupta, Y. K. (2012). Evaluation of the aphrodisiac activity of Tribulus terrestris Linn.
in sexually sluggish male albino rats. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, 3(1), 43-47.

Van Andel, T., Mitchell, S., Volpato, G., Vandebroek, I., Swier, J., Ruysschaert, S., ... & Raes, N. (2012). In
search of the perfect aphrodisiac: Parallel use of bitter tonics in West Africa and the Caribbean. Journal
of Ethnopharmacology, 143(3), 840-850.

Motlhanka, D. M. T., & Nthoiwa, G. P. (2012). Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants of Tswapong
north, in eastern Botswana: a case of plants from Mosweu and Seolwane villages. European Journal of
Medicinal Plants, 3(1), 10-24.

Singh, A. P., Sarkar, S., Tripathi, M., & Rajender, S. (2013). Mucuna pruriens and its major constituent L-
DOPA recover spermatogenic loss by combating ROS, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and
apoptosis. PloS one, 8(1), e54655.

Shukla, K. K., Mahdi, A. A., Ahmad, M. K., Shankhwar, S. N., Rajender, S., & Jaiswar, S. P. (2009). Mucuna
pruriens improves male fertility by its action on the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal axis. Fertility and
sterility, 92(6), 1934-1940.

Nwidu, L. L., Nwafor, P. A., & Vilegas, W. (2015). The aphrodisiac herb Carpolobia: A biopharmacological
and phytochemical review. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 9(18), 132.

Yakubu, M. T., & Akanji, M. A. (2011). Effect of aqueous extract of Massularia acuminata stem on sexual
behaviour of male Wistar rats. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2011.

Yakubu, M. T., Ajidagba, K. K., Akanji, M. A., Oladiji, M. A., Ajiboye, T. O., Ibrahim, K. O., ... & Nafiu, M. O.
(2012). Toxico-pathological effects of saponins from Massularia acuminata stem in male Wistar rats.
Nigerian Journal of Natural Products and Medicine, 16, 1-10.

Adeparusi, E. O., Dada, A. A., & Alale, O. V. (2010). The effects of medicinal plant (Kigelia africana) on
sperm quality of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) Broodstock. Journal of Agricultural
Science, 2(1), 193-199.

Azu, O. O., Duru, F. I. O., Osinubi, A. A., Oremosu, A. A., Noronha, C. C., Elesha, S. O., & Okanlawon, A. O.
(2010). Histomorphometric effects of Kigelia africana (Bignoniaceae) fruit extract on the testis following
short-term treatment with cisplatin in male Sprague–Dawley rats. Middle East Fertility Society Journal,
15(3), 200-208.

Erhabor, J. O., & Idu, M. (2017). Aphrodisiac potentials of the ethanol extract of Aloe barbadensis Mill.
root in male Wistar rats. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 17(1), 1-10.

Oloye, A. A., Ola-Davies, O. E., Ajayi, O. L., Oyeyemi, M. O., Olurode, S. A., & Emikpe, B. O. (2017).
Spermiogram and testicular morphological studies of the buck after treatment with ethanol leaf extract
of Spondias mombin. Sokoto Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 15(1), 72-76.

Asuquo, O. R., Ekanem, T. B., Eluwa, M. A., & Ikpi, O. O. O. D. E. (2012). Evaluation of toxicological effects
of Spondias mombin in adult male Wistar rats. Evaluation, 2(7).

Ajibesin, K. K., Bala, D. N., & Umoh, U. F. (2012). Ethno medicinal survey of plants used by the indigenes
of Rivers State of Nigeria. Pharmaceutical biology, 50(9), 1123-1143.

Odebode, A. A., & Awoye, I. B. (2022). Attitude of literate married men towards the use of aphrodisiac
herbs in Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria. African health sciences, 22(2), 428–435.
https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v22i2.49