The Viagra alternatives: helping men rise to the occasion - naturally

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 1998 by Kevin Haynes

Maca andina (Spanish for Andean mace) is another adaptogenic herb that's just starting to gain a following in the United States, primarily via the Internet. "It's used to treat a wide variety of hormone imbalances, much like [Asian] ginseng," Khalsa says. "We know it increases fertility, but some people claim it increases sexual vigor, though there's no scientific information to back that up."

A member of the cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli family, maca andina comes in capsules or dried powder; the typical daily dosage is 4,000 mg. "It's a very nontoxic herb," Khalsa notes. "In Peru they basically eat it as a food, like a big bowl of pudding."

Of course, no article on natural sexual potency would be complete without mentioning yohimbe. Made from the bark of the African tree Pausinystalia johimbe, yohimbe is the best known anti-impotence herb. In fact, it's the only one that's ever been scientifically proven to improve sexual function, and it's the only herbal sex aid to garner a listing in the Physicians' Desk Reference. Yohimbe is believed to work by stimulating the nerves in the spine that control erection. But even in the recommended daily dose of 250 mg., it can produce some Viagra-like side effects, including nausea, headaches, sweating, agitation, high blood pressure and panic attacks. Plus, it's so jolting to the nervous system, anyone with hypertension or heart disease should steer clear. If you use this herb at all, do it with caution.

LET LIKE CURE LIKE

Homeopathy, the centuries-old tradition of using minute doses of a substance that provokes certain symptoms in one who is healthy to heal those same symptoms in one who is ill, takes a bigger-picture approach to sexual dysfunction.

"Homeopathy deals with the psychological barriers we develop," says Andrew Lange, N.D., a naturopathic physician and director of the Homeopathic Research Institute in Boulder, Colo. "You're not only treating the impotency but the whole way a person responds to a variety of situations," he explains.

Chronic impotence is best treated by a professional homeopath, who will tailor therapy based on a patient's unique set of symptoms, says Dana Ullman, co-author of Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine (Tarcher/Putnam, 1997). But short-term impotence, resulting from stress or emotional difficulties, may be resolved with over-the-counter homeopathic medicines.

Some 50 homeopathic alternatives to Viagra exist, but their effectiveness varies from patient to patient. "There's no silver bullet," Lange admits. However, homeopathic practitioners have reported impressive results from Lycopodium, the spores of a club moss. Lange says recent toxicological studies suggest Lycopodium offers "a certain psychological remedy" to impotency.

The homeopathic medicines China, Nux vomica, Conium, Selenium, Argentum nitrium and Baryta carb may also prove beneficial. For all of these remedies, Ullman recommends using either the 6 (X or C) strength, three times a day for a week, or 30 (X or C) twice a day for two days.