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Turmericis a spice used in cooking and has also been used for medicinal purposes.
It contains a compound calledcurcumin, which is the source of its potential health benefits.
Curcumin supplements are under study for their potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
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But could turmeric in your food orcurcuminsupplements also be used to spice up your love life?
There’s not a simple answer to that question.
While some evidence supports various health benefits of curcumin, boosting sex drive is more complicated.
Blocking hormone production is a method of treating certain types of cancer.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties and Sexual Function
Curcumin may have someanti-inflammatoryproperties.
It can act on some of the pathways that lead to inflammation.
Increasing blood flow to the penis could potentially help witherectile dysfunction.
However, this theory has not yet been studied in humans.
One study in humans looked at a blend of several herbs to treat erectile dysfunction.
It included curcumin, but also other herbs thought to have an effect on sexual function.
The results showed that the subjects who received the supplement had slightly improved scores on sexual encounter questionnaires.
Can It Boost Libido?
Curcumin is not chemically stable and isn’t easily taken up by tissues in the body.
Studies done on rats have tested the effects of curcumin in treatingerectile dysfunction.
Some of this research goes back decades, so there’s been little movement in advancing the theory further.
The research on rats and curcumin is generally focused on managing erectile dysfunction in the setting ofdiabetes.
Broadly speaking, curcumin supplements did “enhance” erectile functionbut in rats with diabetes, not humans.
Not enough research has been conducted to know the effect turmeric may have on female sexual function.
It’s not known ifturmeric supplementscould help people of any sex with their libido.
What Happens If You Take Too Much?
Turmeric or curcumin supplements are generally thought to be safe for most people.
That does not mean thatadverse effectsdo not occur or are not possible.
Higher doses of between 500 and 4,000 mg/day give some people nausea and diarrhea.
As a result, some supplement products may not contain the ingredients listed on the label.
Whenchoosing a supplement, look for products independently tested or certified by organizations such asNSF,U.S.
Additionally, erectile dysfunction can cause significant stress and impact quality of life.
Treatments are available that can help.
What dosage may help with sexual function has not been established.
Because turmeric and curcumin may cause stomach upset, consider taking this supplement with meals.
Who Should Avoid Taking Turmeric?
For instance, some medications can affect libido or sexual health.
However, people can take steps to improve their overall sexual health.
Curcumin supplements contain the active ingredient in curcumin.
Most studies have been done in rats, not in humans.
Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS.Curcumin: a review of its effects on human health.Foods.
2024;46:99-106. doi:10.1590/2175-8239-JBN-2023-0079en
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Erectile dysfunction (ED).
2018;4(Supplement 2):195s-195s.
