Damiana and other herbs

The herb damiana has its fans and detractors alike. It has a certain folkloric reputation as a sex-enhancer, but it's unclear from research whether its reputation is deserved. However, herbalist Michael A. Weiner, Ph.D., author of Herbs that Heal, says that it's the safest of herbs reputed to have aphrodisiac qualities—so you can probably try it relatively risk-free.
Chasteberry, also known as vitex agnus castus (from which the homeopathic dilution is made), apparently boosts the body's progesterone production and normalizes reproductive hormones, specifically the estrogen/progesterone ratio (also implicated in PMS).
If serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, such as Prozac or Zoloft, are at the root of your diminished sex drive, and it isn't possible for your doctor to change your prescription or dosage levels, Adriane Fugh-Berman, M.D., suggests taking 40 mg. of ginkgo in standardized extracts three times a day to help counter-act the libido-lowering effects. Saw palmetto, traditionally thought of to assist men with prostate problems, may also serve to increase circulation to the genital area.
Other herbal possibilities include muira puama, sarsaparilla, fo-ti, gotu kola, guarana, and honey. Where mild depression is an issue, st. John's wort, kava kava or valerian. Yohimbe and Horny Goal weed shows some promise; but proceed with caution—some experts endorse it only reluctantly because of various health and safety concerns.

Dong Quai

Since decreased libido can be (but isn't always) a side effect of changing hormonal balance, such as at menopause, herbs that work to restore hormonal balance in women may be a good choice. Andrew Weil, M.D., recommends dong quai (the Chinese herb, also known as Chinese angelica), other Chinese tonic herb formulas, and Siberian ginseng. And Michael Murray, N.D., says the four most successful herbs for increasing estrogen activity are dong quai, licorice root, chasteberry and black cohosh.
black cohosh, according to Dr. Reichman, "can successfully treat several menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, sleep disturbances and vaginal dryness. When these are improved, sexual…ability and satisfaction may improve as well." Herbs with estrogen-like properties include the Chinese dong quai, a Chinese species of angelica that is one of the more commonly recommended tonics (overall body stimulators and regulators) for flagging libido in women.
Andrew Weil, M.D. and James A. Duke, Ph.D., among others, praise it. Dong quai is an all-purpose sexual and reproductive tonic for women, says Duke. Fennel, fenugreek, anise, and parsley also have estrogen-like qualities. Creams made from wild yam, touted as natural sources of progesterone, seem to improve vaginal dryness significantly in menopausal women.

Study: After a Shot of Caffeine, Female Rats Sought More Sex

Caffeine may put females in the mood for sex, a new study shows.
In the study, female rats that got their first shot of caffeine before mating were quicker than uncaffeinated females to scurry back to a male rat after sex.
The caffeinated females weren't just looking for company. "It looks as if they wanted to have sex again," researcher Fay Guarraci, PhD, tells WebMD.
Might caffeine also rev up women's sex lives? Maybe, but it's too early to say, says Guarraci, an assistant professor of psychology at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.

The study, titled "Coffee, Tea, and Me," is due to appear in an upcoming issue of Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior.
Consume Caffeine, Crave Sex?

Guarraci isn't advising women to use caffeine as an aphrodisiac -- at least, not yet.
"My caution in terms of directly applying the caffeine or the coffee before sex to enhance your sexual drive or motivation would be that in this experiment, we gave only one dose of caffeine to animals who had never had caffeine before," Guarraci says.
"Most of the time, women drink coffee on a daily basis or ingest caffeine in cola beverages," she observes.

It would be interesting to see if regular caffeine use had the same effect on female rats, Guarraci says. If she knew that to be true, she would "be more confident in saying that it would be something useful for women to consider," she says.
Still, she notes the current study's results "might be something to think about for women who don't ingest a lot of caffeine, who usually have a low level of caffeine in their diet."

Female Rats Returned for More Sex
The caffeinated female rats weren't exactly shy.
"The way we measure their interest is they go back and revisit the male after they've just had some sexual interaction with them," Guarraci explains.
That's a normal behavior for female rats. In this study, speed and motivation mattered.

The caffeinated females "would go and visit faster, and they would stay with the males until they received sexual stimulation before they left," Guarraci says.
"It wasn't just that they wanted to be around them. It seemed to be particularly relevant to the sexual interaction, the stimulation they would receive," Guarraci says.
Caffeine didn't affect how quickly the female rats left their partners after sex, the study shows.
A Large Latte's Dose of Caffeine

The researchers tested several caffeine doses on the rats. The doses were based on the rats' weight. Interestingly, the female rats that received the middle dose of caffeine had quicker return visits to the males than the highest dose tested.
Using the same formula for humans, the lowest dose would roughly equal the caffeine in "a grande latte at Starbucks ... a pretty high-caffeinated beverage, but not something outrageous," Guarraci says.

The higher doses were like having several large lattes at once, she says. Were the rats totally wired by the caffeine? "No," Guarraci says.
Her study shows that the caffeinated females didn't just skitter around their cages aimlessly. Instead, they specifically sought a male sex partner and weren't particularly interested in socializing with another female rat.

The caffeinated females seemed motivated to seek sex, not to burn extra energy from the caffeine, the researchers write.
Do You Mate Like a Rat?
Rats and humans are obviously different. But rats' elaborate courtship behavior may sound familiar to some people.
"The female seems to control the mating encounter," Guarraci says of rats.
"So when a male and a female rat are ready to mate, the female does all the gatekeeping for the male. She decides when it's time for him to mate, in the wild as well as in the lab," Guarraci says.

"The female, when she's interested, she'll go visit a male. But then when she's not interested in him anymore or wants to take a break, she runs away. To me, it seems a little bit like the playing hard-to-get with the male rats," she continues.
Ultimately, Guarraci and colleagues want to identify the chemistry and brain structures involved in sexual motivation for mammals, which include people, as well as rats.
"There are a lot of women out there with sexual dysfunction, and if they understood how that happens or how we can augment that, that would be a helpful thing," Guarraci says.

The liver and Sex Hormones

As with most health problems, eating a healthy diet, exercising moderately, cutting out saturated fats, quitting smoking, and avoiding the use of alcohol and prescription drugs (with the approval of your healthcare practitioner) can work to enhance your overall health. These sensible lifestyle choices from a good springboard for dealing with low libido as well. In addition, there is a rich history of the use of herbs to enhance sexual response.
Because the liver processes sex hormones, herbalists recommend cleansing and detoxifying with liver-friendly herbs, such as dandelion, milk thistle, burdock,and licorice root, to optimize liver function.

Early Hysterectomy: Getting Back Your Sex Drive

Make sure that you are not holding back feelings about no longer being able to become pregnant and bear children. So many women are socialized (even in these days) to consider themselves not-quite-a-woman if they can't produce kids. Of course, that's nonsense, as being a woman is defined in many other ways. So be sure that you are not shutting down your sexual essence due to imagined inadequacies.

If that is the case, it's time for a little professional help to allay your concerns, correct your thinking and help you heal the wounds.
As for rejuvenating that sexual drive, you have several options.

If you had your ovaries removed along with your uterus in the hysterectomy, then your body is no longer manufacturing the hormones that contribute to sexual drive and functioning. Consult with your gynecologist first about hormone replacement therapy, which may include estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

Yes, women make their own supply of the male hormone, which is the key for sexual desire and functioning. "The Hormone of Desire," by Dr. Susan Rako, is an excellent book that spells out the story of female testosterone supplementation. You may want to recommend it to your gynecologist, if s/he is not up on that treatment mode.

Second, there is an effective homeopathic alternative. Called Vigorex Femme and made of aveena sativa (the extract of green oats), this product stimulates testosterone production in your own body. It can be ordered at (800) 541-2968. There are also several herbs and natural remedies (generally available at health- food stores) that can help the post-surgical healing process and the restoration of organ functions. Some of these include dong quai, white Korean ginseng, and kava kava.

Finally, give yourself a chance to recharge. Start with simple pleasures with your partner. Explore the sensual side of shared touch, and talk, talk, talk with him about your feelings as your relocate your sexuality. Best of luck.

What Is Low Sex Drive?

A low sex drive in women refers to a lack of interest in sexual relations. It is not unusual to experience a temporary decline in sexual desire at some point, and many women do. But if it persists, it may present problems.

The underlying reason for a decrease in sexual interest and activity, however, is not always obvious. Low sex drive can result from physical conditions (such as illness or pregnancy), psychological issues (such as stress or anxiety), or other factors. When a woman feels that her formerly normal sex drive has "stalled" or seems gone altogether, a medical or emotional problem may be at the root.

The signs of a low sex drive include:
Less frequent sexual thoughts and fantasies
Reduced sexual desire
Reluctance to initiate sex
Less frequent masturbation
Lack of desire for sex when you've gone without sex for days, weeks, or months (depending on what was previously normal for you)
In both men and women, sex drive is also referred to as libido

Lack of sex drive in women

Lack of sex drive (lack of libido) is common in women, but quite rare in men. The American Medical Association has estimated that several million US women suffer from what doctors there call 'female sexual arousal disorder' (FSAD).However, there seems to be an FSAD bandwagon, driven by doctors who think that nearly half the female population (43 per cent) lack sex drive. Such a high number really doesn’t seem likely.In the UK, family planning clinics and Relate clinics see quite large numbers of women who complain of low libido. Our estimate is that at any one time, several hundred thousand women in Britain are troubled by lack of sex drive.Many of these women have no problems with having orgasms. Rather, they have no real desire to have sex and their minds are not turned on by the prospect of love-making.Fortunately, for many women lack of libido is only temporary. Some will get over it by themselves, and a lot more can be helped by expert medical or psychosexual advice

What's to Blame?
Judith Reichman, M.D., author of I'm Not in the Mood: What Every Woman Should Know about Improving Her Libido, lists seven possible libido killers in her book. Psychological issues, relationship difficulties, and medical and hormonal problems are major contributors, and it's realistic to expect sexual desire to wax and wane depending on physical and emotional health, mood, relationship dynamics and personal need. One of the most common complaints is too much stress.
Women and their health practitioners can check many areas while looking for a cause: is low libido a function of aging, too much exercise or too little, hormonal imbalances including low thyroid, depression, stress etc? Many common prescription medications, including antidepressants, blood pressure drugs, and even birth control pills can affect sexual drive as well. Check with your doctor about replacing problem drugs with substitutes, or changing dosages until the problem diminishes.

Low libido- an epidemic

When 50ish supermodel Christina Ferrare went on Oprah last year and made public her personal struggles with low sexual libido, neither she nor her talk show host could have been prepared for the tremendous response her disclosure provoked. Experts now estimate that approximately 40 million women suffer from low libido. Diminished desire, difficulty in arousal, and inability to achieve orgasm are hallmarks of the condition. Left untreated, it can destroy marriages and lives. An estimated 43-56% of all women experience this problem over their lifetimes. Once thought to occur mostly in women who had gone through menopause, it now seems to happen primarily to women in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

source- bodyandfitness.com