NoCalOwner
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There are a number of herbs and such which have been considered aphrodisiacs over the centuries. Most of them turned out to be bunk, but others can be fun and useful. Even if you totally don't need them, no harm in making things that much more intense, eh? So here's my short list of favorites with some comments. Note that various substances considered to be aphrodisiacs work in very different ways, I will try to cover those differences so that you can find something which does just what you need.
Alleged libido boosters
epimedium (yin yang huo, horny goat weed): A few species of this herb genus have been used in China for centuries to boost libido. The mechanism of action appears to be blocking of the hormone cortisol. Dosage is 100-500 milligrams (up to one fairly normal-sized capsule's worth) 1-2 times a day. Since reducing cortisol can also help to curb appetite a bit, this herb has also started appearing as something to help dieters. Cost is around $15-20/lb. if you buy it by the pound and put it in capsules yourself, otherwise expect to pay a lot more. Beware of packets at gas stations and convenience stores which claim to be horny goat weed, in almost all cases you will find a huge list of ingredients, with the actual epimedium content being insignificant. Works for both sexes.
damiana (turnera aphrodisiaca, turnera diffusa): Long used as an aphrodisiac in Mexico. Damiana contains some phytoestrogens, but exact mechanism involved is uncertain. Dosage is 1-2 grams (2-4 capsules) a half hour to an hour before fun time. If you can't get capsules, you can dump a few ounces of it into a bottle of vodka, let soak for a week or two, and strain for use as a beverage. I don't care for the taste of the stuff, but it is traditionally used in a liquer, so apparently some folks don't mind consuming it that way. May interfere with absorbtion of iron, so you probably wouldn't want to use it every day. Uncertain whether it does anything for guys, may only be effective for women. Very inexpensive (I pay $4 for a bottle of 100 capsules, or around $1/oz in bulk).
Substances which encourage erection and engorgement
arginine (l-arginine): The way Viagra and related drugs work is by modifying the body's level of nitric oxide -- increasing the supply by either eliminating things which destroy it, or by increasing things which boost production. The amino acid arginine is the body's primary source of nitric oxide. It's moderate in price, whether you buy it in capsules or bulk. Two to five grams (around 4-10 capsules) will usually produce noticeable effects. Arginine has been through some formal testing, and has done quite well -- a rare thing, most researchers seem more than ready to claim that an aphrodisiac doesn't work, but very few ever claim that any work at all. Ditto for pharmaceutical companies, unless the aphrodisiac is patentable. Some male porn stars use it because ejaculate is very high in arginine, and it allows them to perform more copious "money shots." Although I haven't seen a lot of chemical analysis of women's ejaculate, anecdotal evidence makes me think it does the same for them, too. It should be taken 30-90 minutes in advance of playtime.
ginseng (panax ginseng, panax quinquefolius) An herb which has long been considered a near panacea by the Chinese, as well as having a reputation for being a good aphrodisiac for men. Although Chinese medicine considers specially treated ginseng ("red ginseng") from northern climates to make the best aphrodisiac, western researchers have found comparable levels of most of the active ingredients in both American (panax quinquefolius) and Asian (panax ginseng) varieties. Price ranges from pretty low to extremely high, and while there is a fair amount of variation in quality, I am of the opinion that the premium stuff isn't very cost-effective. I pay $25-$50/lb. for it in bulk, either powdered or whole. Ginseng probably works in various ways, but one thing which is certain is that it encourages the body to convert arginine into nitric oxide. Dosage can be from under a gram to a few grams. Avoid taking if you have consumed vitamin C within the last few hours -- they will cancel each other out. Seems to work for both sexes, although I'd recommend lowish dosages for women. Mildly stimulant in a mental sort of way. Take it 45-90 minutes before you want it to be working. Note that "Siberian ginseng" is not ginseng, it is an unrelated and fairly dissimilar root which is not useful as an aphrodisiac.
ashwagandha (withania somnifera): A sort of Indian equivalent of ginseng, this herb is used for a lot of purposes. Unlike ginseng, it tends to be slightly relaxing, which might be better (than ginseng's stimulation) for some people. Like ginseng, it has components which cause arginine to be converted into nitric oxide. A capsule or two should be helpful, but finding the powdered herb is kind of hard, and the liquid extracts are way overpriced. Works equally well for both sexes.
Other
histidine (l-histidine): This amino acid is involved in the production of histimine, the stuff we all know from hay fever and other allergic reactions. Another process it gets very involved in is orgasm -- many folks find it quite helpful in ensuring that they have more & better orgasms. Males will want to be careful with it, as too much may lead to premature ejaculation (in which case antihistamines or the animo acid methionine may be used to counteract it). With women, you really can't go wrong. It is relatively expensive (about 60 cents a gram in tablet form), and the way it works is pretty dose-dependent, so you might want to start out taking half a gram (500 mg) or so and seeing if that's enough. Up to 2-3 grams can be tried if not. Take it an hour or more before you need it to work, timing isn't critical.
Ginkgo biloba: When taken fairly consistently for at least a couple of months, will improve circulatory function in a number of ways -- including helping erectile disfunction in some preliminary studies. Value for women is uncertain. Dosage is whatever the bottle of capsules says. Has only long-term effects, no point in worrying about timing. Ginkgo will cause some blood thinning, so do not use it if you have anything unusual going on with blood clotting, or if you are considered at risk for stroke.
There are several other herbs & things that might have made it onto this list, but haven't for one reason or another. Most of them didn't make the cut because they muck with hormone levels (e.g. tribulus terrestris, DHEA), have a lot of common and unpleasant side effects (yohimbe), are only effective in vile-tasting liquid extract (muira puama), or something similarly undesirable.
Some aphrodisiacs work in very obvious ways, but the side effects are usually just as obvious, and a lot less pleasant. In the case of yohimbe, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, the side effects can include sudden and drastic increase in blood pressure, occasionally resulting in debility or death. The aphrodisiacs which I recommended above are more subtle, but shouldn't have any unpleasant side effects or negative impact on health.
< Message edited by NoCalOwner -- 11/3/2004 7:30:25 AM >
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Aphrodisiacs! - 
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RE: Aphrodisiacs! - 
Hubby eats sunflower seed and i eat pumpkin seeds. I also eat a lot of sesame seeds, do they do anything? We get our seeds at Trader Joes at very good prices.
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