Florence Henderson (yes, of Brady Bunch fame) once said, “There is no age limit on the enjoyment of sex. It keeps getting better.” We couldn’t agree more: Sex should improve throughout our lives. Of course, it should be really great today, too. After all, sexual health is as important as physical and mental health.
At Solaray, we hope that everyone who desires a fulfilling sex life has one. And we’re here to support you as you cultivate yours—whatever it looks like to you—with time-tested, traditional herbs in cutting-edge, powerful formulas.
What Is Sexual Health? What Is Libido?
It can be difficult to share just one singular definition of sexual health. Wellness in general is individual, and sexual wellness may mean different things to different people. The phrase sexual health can encompass a host of areas, from access to information and care, to pregnancy and disease and dysfunction, to sexual pleasure and satisfaction.
For purposes of this article, we want to point to a portion of the sexual health definition widely used by the American Sexual Health Association and other organizations: “The ability to embrace and enjoy our sexuality throughout our lives.”1
An element that’s key to embracing and enjoying sexuality? Libido. A simple definition of libido is a bit easier to come to: sex drive. That said, libido is complex and influenced by biological as well as psychological and social factors. Your sexual appetite can change over the course of your life.
Low libido is a decrease in the frequency and intensity of sexual desire. A low sex drive can happen to anyone at any age and is quite common. It affects as many as one in five men or people assigned male at birth, and even more women or people assigned female at birth.2 One study of more than 2,000 women in the US found that 26.7% of premenopausal women experienced low sexual desire. That number jumped all the way to 52.4% among naturally menopausal women.3
In our own research conducted during the development of our her life STAGES women’s supplement line, we found nearly a third of menopausal women and more than a third of postmenopausal women surveyed were concerned about changes in their sex drive.4
Keep in mind that libido naturally varies from person to person. Importantly, there is no “right” or “wrong” level of libido—a “normal” libido is what feels healthy for you.
How can you support your libido and overall sexual wellness? Read on.
Herbs and Supplements for Overall Sexual Wellness
The pursuit of a better sex life certainly isn’t just a modern-day concern. Different cultures and systems of healing—from Ayurveda to Traditional Chinese Medicine—have turned to herbs as aphrodisiacs and libido supporters, including performance energy boosters, for thousands of years.5 Of course, we now know more about these botanicals and their benefits. Here are four historical herbs you can use to support your sexual health and vitality today.*
Ashwagandha
You probably know ashwagandha as an adaptogen, or an herb that can help support a healthy response to stress.* And its adaptogenic properties do come in handy in regards to libido: By supporting you through occasional stressful situations, including by promoting mental energy in trying times, it can help you find the right mindset for intimacy—when you might otherwise not feel “in the mood.”*
But ashwagandha also offers sexual wellness support more directly. In particular, KSM-66 Ashwagandha®, a full-spectrum, high-concentration organic ashwagandha extract, has been scientifically shown to support women’s sexual health and female libido.* Specifically, clinical researchers found it helped with arousal, lubrication, and more.*6
These impressive results are why we chose KSM-66™ to anchor our doctor-formulated her life STAGES Libido formula, designed to help women sustain the spark across all adult life stages.* It’s made without hormones or soy and expertly crafted to support circumstantial stress, enhanced arousal, natural lubrication, and sexual satisfaction.*
Ginkgo
Like ashwagandha, ginkgo biloba—one of the oldest living tree species in the world with a long history of traditional use—is more predominately known for other health benefits. In fact, it’s often called “the brain herb” for its proven ability to support cognitive health.*
Yet, ginkgo has also been clinically studied for postmenopausal women’s sexual health and been shown to support libido in this group.*7
Solaray Ginkgo Biloba delivers 120 mg of ginkgo extract, with guaranteed levels of beneficial flavonglycosides and terpene lactones, a potent dose for both cognitive and female libido support.*
Tongkat Ali
Tongkat ali, also known as longjack (or long jack) and Malaysian ginseng, is a flowering plant native to Southeast Asia with a lengthy record of use in men’s health and well-being.
Its name translates literally to “Ali’s walking stick,” which some experts say refers to its traditional regard as an aphrodisiac. Others claim its stick moniker simply comes from its long, twisted roots, which have been used for centuries in folk remedies.8
The plant’s roots are still widely used today in supplements to promote male vitality, like our Tongkat Ali, which delivers 400 mg of whole tongkat ali root to offer powerful support for your best performance.*
Yohimbe
This evergreen tree, which is native to central and western Africa, has long been a men’s wellness staple.
Though our ancestors instinctively used its bark in traditional remedies, we now know it contains yohimbine. This active compound is thought to be responsible for the herb’s myriad health benefits, including its ability to help promote masculine power, which keeps the plant so popular today.*
Solaray Yohimbe is specially formulated for energy support, including male performance energy.* It contains 135 mg of yohimbe bark extract, standardized to 3% yohimbine.
Show Your Love Life Some Love
If you’re seeking to level up your sex life, you’re not alone. Whether you’re dealing with a loss of drive and want to improve libido, need help to find the mindset for intimacy, or could use a little assistance with your performance energy, there are herbs and herbal supplements that can provide the support you need. Ashwagandha, ginkgo, tongkat ali, and yohimbe are a few favorites that have been used for millennia to help promote sexual desire and vitality and are still widely turned to today.*
Shop our women’s STAGES Libido formula, Ginkgo Biloba Extract, non-GMO Tongkat Ali, and Yohimbe Bark Extract—along with our full line of herbs.
RESOURCES:
- “What Is Sexual Health,” American Sexual Health Association, https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/sexual-health.
- “Low Libido,” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15216-low-libido-low-sex-drive.
- Suzanne L. West, et al. “Prevalence of Low Sexual Desire and Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in a Nationally Representative Sample of US Women,” Archives of Internal Medicine 168, no. 13 (2008): 1441-1449, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/414363.
- “Perimenopause, Menopause & Postmenopause,” Part 2: Solaray Women’s Health Survey Report,” January 2023.
- Bhushan Patwardhan, Gururaj Mutalik & Girish Tillu, “Chapter 10 - Longevity, Rejuvenation, and Rasayana,” Integrative Approaches for Health: Biomedical Research, Ayurveda and Yoga, Academic Press (2015): 259-291, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-801282-6.00010-3.
- Swati Dongre, Deepak Langade & Sauvik Bhattacharyy, “Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study,” BioMed Research International (2015), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26504795.
- Jamileh Malakouti et al. “The Impact of Ginkgo biloba Tablet and Aromatherapy Inhaler Combination on Sexual Function in Females During Postmenopausal Period: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial,” International Journal of Women’s Health and Reproduction Sciences 5, no. 2 (2017): 129-136, https://www.ijwhr.net/pdf/pdf_IJWHR_179.pdf; Mina Amiri Pebdani et al. “Triple-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Ginkgo Biloba Extract on Sexual Desire in Postmenopausal Women in Tehran,” Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research 19, no. 3 (2014): 262-265,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4061626.
- Shaheed Ur Rehman, Kevin Choe, and Hye Hyun Yoo, “Review on a Traditional Herbal Medicine, Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali),” Molecules 21, no. 3 (2016): 331, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6274257.
KSM-66 Ashwagandha® is a registered trademark of Ixoreal Biomed Inc.