A little off topic, but I had to share. I just started watching the HBO 1/2 hour series “Entourage”, about a guy who’s just starting to make it in Hollywood, and who basically supports/lives with his brother and two best friends in a big Hollywood house. Oh, and it’s got Jeremy Piven in it too as Vincent Chase’s (the movie star guy) hyper slimeball agent.

In breaking and significant news in the herbal impotence and male sexual enhancement arena, the FDA has now issued warnings to consumers not to purchase several “herbal male enhancement” pills that are specifically geared toward impotence and lasting longer in bed.  They said the reason is that chemical lab tests showed the pills, which were supposed to be 100% herbal and natural contained sildenafil, which is Viagra. 

This could be a potential health hazard to men with heart conditions who are taking these supplements that believe they are taking an all herbal male enhancement pill, which actually illegally contains a prescription impotence drug (Viagra).

Not only that, it’s blatantly illegal, and the companies are falsely marketing them as an all natural solution to impotence and premature ejaculation. 

What are the products the FDA is warning against besides the more well known and highly radio advertised Nasutra?  Here they are:

1. Libidus 
2. Neophase
3. Nasutra
4. Vigor-25
5. Actra-Rx
6. 4Everon.

According to the FDA report, chemical analysis of these 6 impotence pills which are marketed as all natural herbal alternatives to the likes of Viagra and other popular impotence and premature ejaculation treatment drugs clearly showed that they contain either chemical ingredients that are similar to sildenafil or another impotence / male enhancement drug called vardenafil.

Vardenafil is the active ingredient in another common impotence sexual enhancement drug called Levitra.

In a new breakthrough in stem cell research, and another reason stem cell research advocates should be badgering Bush to let up on the governmental thumb, researchers have been able to produce baby mice by using sperm grown in laboratory “petrie dishes” if you will, from the controversial embryonic stem cells. This most likely means that the same logic will go for humans, so the findings may be a great stride in treating male infertility.

Tobacco is estimated to be the cause of over 1 BILLION male and female deaths by the end of this century.  Can you believe that?  So not only is smoking bad for your lungs, your sexuality, and your entire body and physique, but it also is a major killer.

One of the last posts I put up was about how obesity and cigarette smoking have now been singled out as bigger causes of impotence and erectile dysfunction than was once thought.  Now that we know tobacco will be directly responsible for this staggering number of deaths, that just gives us more reasons to put the cigarette down.

New research is now showing something that we all might have guessed : what’s good for men’s hearts is also good for their sex life.  That’s right, most of the same things that are good for a man’s heart are also most likely going to be excellent for his sex life in both the long and short term.

Things that are good for your heart such as maintaining a slimmer physique and a lower weight, being a non smoker, and getting regular cardio exercise all are showing increasing likelihood that they reduce the risk of developing erectile dysfunction according to a newer released study that followed more than 22,000 U.S. men for 14 years.  So you know this study was thorough as well as drawn out, which means it’s pretty reliable.

This means that lifestyle choices and choices that greatly affect your physical and mental health are also strongly linked to the likelihood of sexual dysfunction in many ways. This includes erectile dysfunction, sexual satisfaction, ability to maintain an erection and overall sexual desire and libido. 

Since sex is such a strong force for most men, this may be a huge incentive for lots of guys to “clean up their act” in the health department, so to speak.

Dr. John Money, who was a major sex psychologist and researcher, and was one of the first to break down sexual taboos and make sexual research and findings public, especially as it relates to gender identity, has died today.  He was 84 years old, God bless him.  He died of complications from Parkinsons Disease. 

He conducted research for about 50 years at Johns Hopkins University, where he was a professor of medical psychology.

Dr. John Money believed that a person’s gender identity is determined by a combination of biological factors and environment (nature vs. nurture), or the person’s personal upbringing. This revolutionary thought had represented a departure from past schools of thought on sexuality, where gender identity was thought to mostly be biological in nature, and not really determined by one’s environment. 

Now, here’s the really interesting part.  Dr. Money advised parents and counseled them on how they should raise hermaphrodites, or children who were born with sets of both male and female sex organs. 

This was a first, and he was unabashed in his counseling as well as breaking the boundaries of what was once considered a very taboo sexual subject.  He never had any children of his own, and was only briefly married in the 1950’s.  Now, for the more interesting part….

Dr. Money was part of a highly controversial court case of a man who was raised as a woman after suffering a seared penis after circumsision in 1966.

The patient of Dr. Money, David Reimer was raised as a female called ”Brenda” after Money advised his parents to remove the rest of his male genitalia and also recommended female hormone treatment to complete his transformation from a male to a female.

The patient was only 15 years old when he learned he was actually a man biologically, and he declined further treatments to continue being a woman.   The controversial part is, he committed suiced in 2004 after he had made a string of failed investments, and he was only 38 years old. 

Recently the high court reversed a huge ruling against the tobacco industry on behalf of all consumers who are smokers, which awarded a large class action group an amount of $145 billion. Seemed a little excessive to me, especially when these people obviously chose to smoke, even knowing the health hazards smoking causes.

So what about smoking and sexual health? Is there any real impact to a man’s sexual health if you smoke?

As a matter of fact, it does affect male sexual health, and not in a good way (I know, what a shock!). It actually affects both male and female sexual behavior and their reproductive systems adversely.

In men, a cigarette smoking habit can have a profound impact on their sex lives. It can actually decrease both the quality and quantity of sperm production, and can also (drumroll please), cause erectile dysfunction - which we all know, is a consistency of inability to sustain an erect penis which can be deemed sufficient enough for reasonably sustained sexual intercourse).

Not only that, the ejaculate of smoking men vs. non smoking men is considerably less, which means usually less intense orgasms. So, yes, I’d say that cigarette smoking definitely impacts the quality of sex for men as well as women.

Smoking also adversely affects the hormone production in men, which is a direct cause of less sexual satisfaction and low sexual desire, which are both linked to cigarette smoking.

Herbal Virility, Herbal Supplement for Depression

More than 20 million adults in America suffer from depression. While many sufferers choose to treat their disease with prescriptions and just live with the side effect, more and more are choosing herbal remedies for virility in men. With fewer side effects and the ability to treat problems beyond depression, it’s no wonder that in some markets the herbal supplements actually outsell traditional medicine.

Herbal Depression Treatments

St. John’s Wort is the leading herbal treatment of depression. St. John’s Wort works by boosting serotonin levels in the brain resulting in lifted spirits, fewer and less severe feelings of depression.

SAMe is a natural chemical found in cells of the human body and can be as effective as prescription antidepressant pills in proper doses. It works by increasing neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine.

Ginkgo biloba improves blood flow and has been shown to help people replace mental sharpness and improve general mood.

Kava has been known to create a feeling of relaxation and contentment. Muscle tenseness lessens without a numb feeling of being drugged or decreased mental alertness.

Treatments for Lack of Virility and other Side Effects

In addition to a general “blue” or “down” feeling, depression is known to cause many side effects. It’s often necessary to treat these side effect in addition to the underlying depression. One of the most detrimental side effects, especially for male sufferers, is lack of virility or impotency.

Damiana has long been used to treat the the nervous, hormonal, and reproductive systems. It is thought to be an aphrodisiac. Available in pill form or as tea, it often relaxes the consumer and helps increase stimulation to reproductive organs.

Tribulus terrestris is another herbal treatment for sexual dysfunction. It increases blood flowing to the groin area as well as, in clinical studies, prostate weight. It’s thought it also increases testosterone production.

Avena sativa has been rumored to be a sexual nerve tonic but studies and scientific reports have disputed this claim.

Valerian Root helps ease insomnia, often associated with depression.

Ginseng is often used to help the body resist stress, making it easier for the patient to manage daily activities that can trigger depression. In ancient times it was thought to be an aphrodisiac.

Ginkgo biloba, with it’s increased blood flow properties and general mood enhancement, is sometimes used to naturally treat impotency and lack of virility.

Side Effects of Herbal Remedies

St. John’s Wort has been known to cause an increased sunlight sensitivity. Dry mouth, dizziness, headache and sexual dysfunction are some of the reported side effects. St. John’s Wort can slow down or speed up how fast other drugs are broken down and absorbed into the patient. Specific drug interactions are known with prescription antidepressants, birth control pills, anticoagulants, cancer medications, HIV infection control pills and transplant rejection drugs.

SAMe, unless taken in very high doses, have no known side effects. Patients taking large doses report mild stomach upset for a short amount of time.

Ginkgo biloba can cause headaches, gastric discomfort, bleeding in those with clotting disorders, nausea and vomiting. Ginkgo biloba should not be taken by women who are pregnant.

Kava kava supplementation causes mild side effects including mild gastrointestinal discomfort, headaches and dizziness in patients that take small to medium doses. Those that take more than 2000 mg of kava kava per day, over long periods of time, may be susceptible to liver damage.

Damiana can affect blood sugar levels. For this reason, it is important that diabetics and hypoglycemics, or any patient taking a prescription blood sugar or insulin level altering medication keep close tabs on their levels.

Tribulus terrestris has no known side effects.

Avena sativa has no known side effects.

Valerian root has few side effects. These include a mild diuretic effect, causing a patient to possibly wake up during the night to urinate and those taking valerian root over a long period my experience headaches.

Ginseng is a mild stimulant and can cause nervousness, euphoria or restlessness. It can also cause diarrhea, vomiting and nosebleeds.

Pheromones are almost like a “scent” that we all give off to varying degrees which attracts us to eachother.  You know, like that person you know that seems to get crazy amounts of attention from the opposite of sex for no apparent reason?  Well, they probably put out more pheromones than the average Joe does.

We’ve all experienced pheromones at work.  Why else would we be crazily attracted to some people, and then not as attracted to others who are equally good looking?  Pheromones play a huge part in the game of human attraction, and there are actually even some very effective human pheromone colognes or sprays that get the job done. 

I actually know some men who’ve used them and tell me that they definitely notice an increase in the amount of attention they get from women, or their spouse whatever the case may be.  It’s definitely an enticing idea, isn’t it?  The fact that you can actually manipulate the way a woman is attracted to you, I think is a fascinating one.  And it’s true, that’s the real kicker! 

We all have heard the excuse that our girlfriends or wives don’t want to give us oral sex “because your semen tastes bitter”, or they might use another euphamism, like “it just tastes funny” or something like that.  So, is there anything we can do to improve the taste of our semen, and also increase the likelihood of a little oral action more often?

Researchers and medical experts say that there are actually a couple things that affect the taste of our semen.  Namely, it’s diet.  Well first off, if you’ve had a long night of alcohol consumption the night before you want a little oral action, you cannot tell your girlfriend honestly that your spunk will taste good.  In the words of Samantha on Sex and the City “your spunk tastes like funk” will be what your significant other is thinking if you have consumed alchohol in the past 24 hours before oral sex. 

So, alcohol can be a common culprit of foul tasting semen, and what else?  Well, you are what you eat definitely is a cliche that we can use when we talk about bitterness or saltiness of semen.  The taste of your semen is pretty much a direct result of what you consume. 

So, if you want your semen to taste sweet, consume a lot of sweet treats or sweet fruits the day before, but try to stay away form acidic foods like tomato sauces and bitter fruits or veggies. 

Also stay away from a lot of salt - not only is it good for your blood pressure and hence your sex life, it’s also going to make your semen taste better to the woman in your life!