Sex Pills. The male enhancement pills that are available on the market today are often labeled as dietary supplements. They claim to increase blood flow to the penis in order to increase the duration of an erection. They also claim to boost overall arousal, stamina, and performance.
Many male enhancement pills use a combination of natural ingredients, which can include ashwagandha, maca root, yohimbe extract, and black ginger extract.
Individually, these ingredients have been known to increase things, like energy and libido, or reduce stress. For example, a 2016 studyTrusted Source
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PubMed Central
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found that black ginger extract increased physical fitness performance and muscular endurance. Although that study was performed in mice.
However, there’s no data to directly support the effectiveness of male enhancement pills.
“I always caution patients about these medications, as many of them haven’t been studied in a controlled manner,” says E. Charles Osterberg, MD, FACS, a board certified urologist.
Do Sex Pills work?
Because most male enhancement pills aren’t approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), there’s no scientific evidence to back up their claims.
While there have been studies on similar ingredients and their effectiveness on ED, the research doesn’t support the effectiveness that male enhancement pills claim to have.
A 2011 study Trusted Source of the effectiveness of ashwagandha in treating psychogenic ED found that the medicinal herb was not effective.
According to Osterberg, psychogenic ED is when the erectile tissue and properties work just fine, “but there may be some other reason why that individual’s having trouble with erections, whether it be performance anxiety, stress, or situation related.”
Even in the case of psychogenic ED, it’s best to consult a doctor who can advise the best next steps.