Male Enhancement Pills – Are They Really Effective?

The male enhancement pills seems to be an ideal solution for men who wants to boost their sexual health and performance in a short period of time. For most pharmaceutical companies (who produce and market such products), the target market is men who complaints of low libido, premature or delayed ejaculation and other erectile disorders. Additionally, since most of these enhancement pills also boosts basal metabolism, overweight or obese men can also possibly benefit from them.

Most commercially available male enhancement pills/ supplements claims to improve the overall health (both physical and sexual) by increasing the secretion or production of testosterone hormone. This can in turn improve the libido, muscular strength and sexual performance in interested men.

Are Male Enhancement Pills Really Effective?

Despite all the claims, most male enhancements pills are ineffective at improving the sexual performance in the long term. According to a new report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, investigators suggested that male enhancement pills/supplements are often helpful in men who are 65years or older. This is especially true if male enhancement pills contains some form of testosterone as the main ingredient. Unfortunately, even in elderly population, the therapy related side effects often outweigh potential benefits. This is mainly because, testosterone pills/ supplements are associated with a high risk of strokes and cardiovascular accidents.

On the contrary, a study reported in the scientific journal Plos One suggested that all testosterone supplements or therapies are not associated with an increasing risk of death; in fact some supplements can actually help in restoring the normal quality of life.

How To Choose The Best Male Enhancement Supplement?

Since there are lot of male enhancement supplements in the market today, an average male finds it extremely difficult to pick something that can offer value and quality, without increasing the risks. In this regard, considering a few points before making the purchase can help a great deal. For example:

• Only trust highly reputed brands and companies when it comes to your health. In other words, make sure you perform a thorough research on the licensing, credibility and reviews of the manufacturer before making impulsive purchases.
• Only buy products with comprehensive labels (information regarding the ingredients, quantities and dosage). Once you obtain the label, conduct thorough research to learn more about the properties and benefits of actual ingredients.
• Always search for clinical studies to authenticate the claims made by the maker.
• Make sure to check the testimonials written by actual customers and read out the product reviews on various websites (other than the manufacturer’s website).
• Take advice from your healthcare provider to learn if a certain supplement can help your symptoms.

Following are the ingredients that are very frequently used in the male enhancement pills for the improvement of sexual health.

• Ginseng: it is a herb known for its diverse benefits on the male sexual performance. Several clinical studies suggests that the long term use of ginseng can help in achieving and maintaining erections for sufficient amount time. Ginseng is also believed to improve penetration and penile rigidity. Ginseng is also beneficial for boosting libido, production of sperms and its quality.
• Fenugreek: It is a natural booster of testosterone that is also helpful in improving low sexual drive. According to Phytotherapy Research study, fenugreek containing supplements are very beneficial in maintaining sufficient serum levels of testosterone.
• Oyster Extracts: Oysters are popular aphrodisiacs, its extracts are enriched with zinc due to which they are extremely helpful in boosting fertility.
• D-Aspartic Acid: A type of amino acid which stimulates central region of brain to stimulate various hormones, including testosterone.
• B Complex Vitamins: Vitamin B enhances the metabolism of fats and proteins, resulting in improved serum levels of testosterone.
• Vitamin D And K: vitamin D enhances the levels of testosterone while vitamin K has a stimulatory effect on the secretion of testosterone.
• Zinc: Numerous studies have supported the ability of zinc in boosting the testosterone levels. Therefore, health experts suggest men with low testosterone to consume zinc enriched diet and supplements.
• Mucuna Pruriens: Mucuna pruriens is a source of L-dopa which is a natural precursor of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which provokes the production of testosterone.
• Tribulus Terrestris: It stimulates testis to produce testosterone, by increasing the levels of luteinizing hormone. It also enhances male libido.
• Selenium: Just like zinc, selenium is also known for boosting testosterone levels. Regular intake of supplements containing both selenium and zinc is associated with fruitful results.
• Saw Palmetto: This ingredient enhances prostate health and restores hormonal balance.
• Avena Sativa: This natural ingredient is believed to enhance the libido
• Maca Root Powder: It enhances sexual impulse/ desire and also improves overall health status of an individual.
• Caltrops: It balances the hormonal levels and empowers stamina during intercourse.
• Tongkat Ali: It helps in treating sexual problems that are mild in nature and enhances sexual energy.

References

1. Pope Jr, H. G., Wood, R. I., Rogol, A., Nyberg, F., Bowers, L., & Bhasin, S. (2013). Adverse health consequences of performance-enhancing drugs: an Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocrine reviews, 35(3), 341-375.

2. Gilard, V., Balayssac, S., Tinaugus, A., Martins, N., Martino, R., & Malet-Martino, M. (2015). Detection, identification and quantification by 1 H NMR of adulterants in 150 herbal dietary supplements marketed for improving sexual performance. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis, 102, 476-493.

3. Singh, S., Nair, V., & Gupta, Y. K. (2012). Evaluation of the aphrodisiac activity of Tribulus terrestris Linn. in sexually sluggish male albino rats. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, 3(1), 43.