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Natural Herbs For Erectile Dysfunction: 5 Herbal Remedies

Here are 5 herbal remedies to treat male sexual libido conditions.

By: Shahrokh Shariat, MD
Medically Reviewed by: Thomas M. Buckley, MD

Last updated Fact Checked: Feb 6, 2022

Cure impotence with the best selected food supplements and read their reviews. These are better more natural ways than using Viagra pills.

As men begin to get older, their natural sexual function starts to decline.1 The most important and sometimes embarrassing one of these features is related to sexual desire and testosterone level. If you are beginning to have problems with your manhood becoming limp when engaging in sexual activity and not as hard as it once used to be during sexual intercourse, don’t worry you are not the only one.2

It’s reported that in America alone, 30 million men suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED).3 There are various ED treatment options available to help you with erectile function. Some are dangerous such as prescription medication that is prescribed by doctors such as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis.4

Others are herbal and completely natural and therefore have little to no side effects such as VigRX Plus, Male Extra, ExtenZe, and ProSolution Plus Pills just to name a few. They are so effective because they are a formulation of some of the best herbs for erection problems.

Or, you could go straight to the source and decide to isolate the specific natural remedies by consuming one of the many Eastern herbs. It is much easier to source these in the form of male enhancement supplements rather than getting hold of them individually.

Herbs To Cure Erectile Dysfunction

1. Tongkat Ali

This is one Eastern herb that men of all ages have been using for a long time. It’s, in fact, a root of a tree. It has been dubbed “the Asian Viagra” because the tree grows in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Tongkat Ali is used for more than just treating erectile dysfunction symptoms; it is an aphrodisiac and libido booster to give you an all-around improved sexual performance. It manages to achieve all of this because of its natural ability to increase testosterone levels in men.5

Testosterone is the primary male hormone that is responsible for primary and secondary sex characteristics. It helps with blood flow and maintaining the health of the cardiovascular system.6

Tongkat Ali is also used a lot by people who are weight training because it increases testosterone levels. Testosterone is responsible for promoting lean muscle growth, diminishing excess fat, increasing energy levels, making you horny and inducing a positive mind frame, and eradicating psychogenic Ed.7

A lot of people think that herbal remedies are not as potent as synthetic drugs like Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra. This is very far from the truth because according to Dr. Ray Sahelian, Tongkat Ali can have some powerful effects like insomnia, anxiety, and restlessness.

Dr. Ray’s medical advice is that if you ever experience such side effects, you should lower the dosage to a point where you no longer experience these adverse effects. See how powerful herbs for erectile dysfunction treatment can be?

2. Schisandra

Schisandra even sounds like a hot, foreign, sultry girl’s name, doesn’t it? But, don’t be turned on just yet… Schisandra is a berry that the ancient Chinese have used for centuries as a sexual tonic aphrodisiac.8 You’ve probably heard of ginseng and Ginkgo Biloba, right? Well, this is another powerful and highly effective herb that is commonly known in Chinese medicine but here in the West, we are less aware of its existence.

The men that have used Schisandra have said that not only is it beneficial for helping with sexual dysfunction but it even increases the amount of semen and shortens the recovery time after you have ejaculated.9 So you will be up and ready very quickly for round two. Erectile dysfunctions’ leading cause is stress, so to counteract this, Schisandra works by relaxing you and taking care of your erectile dysfunction in that way.

3. Tribulus Terrestris

This is a spiny plant that has begun to gain popularity in recent times. However, the Chinese and Indians had used it for centuries as a natural remedy before it became well known in the West. The active ingredient in Tribulus Terrestris is found in the leaves of the plant and the fruit.10

It increases fertility and libido and gives you harder erections. This is far from a wives’ tale or something grandma only knows about. Official research by scientists is ongoing, and one study in particular which was published in 2013 showed that Tribulus Terrestris works by releasing nitric oxide.11

Nitric oxide is extremely beneficial to erections as it improves blood flow, and dilates the blood vessel to accommodate more blood allowing for the penis to become engorged and stay hard for longer.12

Similar to Tongkat Ali, Tribulus Terrestris is very popular amongst athletes due to its testosterone boosting, luteinizing hormone increasing, and DHEA promoting properties.13

4. Ginseng

Ahhhh Ginseng, this is one on the list that you most probably heard of. Ginseng is a root/bark which helps the body cope with stress and fatigue. They call it an adaptation because it has the quality of being able to adapt. This means it becomes more or less active depending on the body’s need for it.14

Due to its widespread use, there has been a lot of scientific research done on ginseng, and it is good news as it is very safe. Panax Ginseng, in particular, is known to improve all aspects of sexual health in men. It helps with premature ejaculation, and even creams are available for treating premature ejaculation which contains it as their primary ingredient.15

In a recent study published which investigated the effects of Panax Ginseng on erectile dysfunction, scientists discovered that significant improvements were made when compared to the control group who were given a placebo.16

Red Ginseng has limited side effects and is generally very safe for consumption. Some side effects include difficulty sleeping and high blood pressure and heart rate. These will only occur if the dosage is too high and can easily be rectified by reducing the dose.17

5. Epimedium

Again, the Chinese have used Epimedium for centuries to treat erectile dysfunction in men with low libido. I wonder, is it because these herbs are not available here that we had no idea how effective they were, or is it just that we are always the last to find out?

Studies show that Epimedium hinders the effects of certain enzymes that are responsible for restricting penile blood flow. It acts as a phosphodiesterase inhibitor which is the same drug pathway used by prescription ED medication such as Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra.18

Oh, and before we forget… You probably know Epimedium as horny goat weed! And it’s safe to say that it is way safer to use than an erectile dysfunction drug. AND much more efficient too!

NOTE:

We strongly advise that you stay away from prescription erectile dysfunction remedies such as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis. These drugs are all synthetic and contain nothing natural at all. They are only available on a prescription for a reason, and that’s because they have dangerous and harmful side effects including blindness and stroke.19

Doctors don’t prescribe natural herbal remedies because where’s the money in that? Pharmaceutical companies make big bucks from profiting from men’s sexual insecurities.

The bottom line is that you should steer clear of these synthetic drugs altogether. Use herbs for the treatment of your ED symptoms, and you will treat your impotence problem without suffering from side effects. The problem is that these herbs that we have mentioned are sometimes challenging to get your hands on.

Or, you will have to buy them all separately in the form of supplements from your local health shop. This can become costly because you will have to buy five sets of dietary supplements. Also, who wants to take that many supplements?

Not me anyway, so here’s what to do… Try herbs for ED in the form of a single pill such as VigRX Plus, Male Extra, ExtenZe, or ProSolution Plus Pills. There are much more readily available, but these are our top four recommended ones that come with money-back guarantees and have been on the market for a very long time.

You can read individual reviews or read our comparison between them if you are undecided. They all have a slightly different formulation and contain various herbs and extracts within them. But, the concoction as a whole formula is what gives the natural Viagra-like effects without the side effects.

Sources

Body Freedom exclusively utilizes the best quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our content. Read our editorial process to learn more regarding our fact-checking to maintain the accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness of our content.

  1. Rowland DL, Greenleaf WJ, Dorfman LJ, Davidson JM. Aging and sexual function in men. Arch Sex Behav. 1993;22(6):545-557. doi:10.1007/BF01543300
  2. Millar AC, Lau ANC, Tomlinson G, et al. Predicting low testosterone in aging men: a systematic review. CMAJ. 2016;188(13):E321-E330. doi:10.1503/cmaj.150262
  3. Levine LA. Erectile dysfunction: a review of a common problem in rapid evolution. Prim Care Update Ob Gyns. 2000;7(3):124-129. doi:10.1016/s1068-607x(00)00033-0
  4. Montorsi F, Verheyden B, Meuleman E, et al. Long-term safety and tolerability of tadalafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Eur Urol. 2004;45(3):339-345. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2003.11.010
  5. Rehman, Shaheed Ur et al. “Review on a Traditional Herbal Medicine, Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali): Its Traditional Uses, Chemistry, Evidence-Based Pharmacology and Toxicology.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 21,3 331. 10 Mar. 2016, doi:10.3390/molecules21030331
  6. Handelsman DJ. Androgen Physiology, Pharmacology, Use and Misuse. [Updated 2020 Oct 5]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279000/
  7. Talbott SM, Talbott JA, George A, Pugh M. Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10(1):28. Published 2013 May 26. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-10-28
  8. Shin YS, Zhao C, Zhang LT, Park JK. Current Status and Clinical Studies of Oriental Herbs in Sexual Medicine in Korea. World J Mens Health. 2015;33(2):62-72. doi:10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.2.62
  9. Tvrdá E, Michalko J, Árvay J, et al. Characterization of the Omija (Schisandra chinensis) Extract and Its Effects on the Bovine Sperm Vitality and Oxidative Profile during In Vitro Storage. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020;2020:7123780. Published 2020 Sep 21. doi:10.1155/2020/7123780
  10. Qureshi A, Naughton DP, Petroczi A. A systematic review on the herbal extract Tribulus terrestris and the roots of its putative aphrodisiac and performance enhancing effect. J Diet Suppl. 2014;11(1):64-79. doi:10.3109/19390211.2014.887602
  11. Do J, Choi S, Choi J, Hyun JS. Effects and Mechanism of Action of a Tribulus terrestris Extract on Penile Erection. Korean J Urol. 2013;54(3):183-188. doi:10.4111/kju.2013.54.3.183
  12. Meldrum DR, Burnett AL, Dorey G, Esposito K, Ignarro LJ. Erectile hydraulics: maximizing inflow while minimizing outflow. J Sex Med. 2014;11(5):1208-1220. doi:10.1111/jsm.12457
  13. Chen CK, Ooi FK, Abu Kasim NA, Asari MA. Effects of Eurycoma Longifolia Jack Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training on Isokinetic Muscular Strength and Power, Anaerobic Power, and Urinary Testosterone: Epitestosterone Ratio in Young Males. Int J Prev Med. 2019;10:118. Published 2019 Jul 5. doi:10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_404_17
  14. Lee S, Rhee DK. Effects of ginseng on stress-related depression, anxiety, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. J Ginseng Res. 2017;41(4):589-594. doi:10.1016/j.jgr.2017.01.010
  15. Linton KD, Wylie KR. Recent advances in the treatment of premature ejaculation. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2010;4:1-6. Published 2010 Feb 18. doi:10.2147/dddt.s6077
  16. Lee HW, Lee MS, Kim TH, et al. Ginseng for erectile dysfunction. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;4(4):CD012654. Published 2021 Apr 19. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012654.pub2
  17. Paik DJ, Lee CH. Review of cases of patient risk associated with ginseng abuse and misuse. J Ginseng Res. 2015;39(2):89-93. doi:10.1016/j.jgr.2014.11.005
  18. Cui T, Kovell RC, Brooks DC, Terlecki RP. A Urologist’s Guide to Ingredients Found in Top-Selling Nutraceuticals for Men’s Sexual Health. J Sex Med. 2015;12(11):2105-2117. doi:10.1111/jsm.13013
  19. Moschos MM, Nitoda E. Pathophysiology of visual disorders induced by phosphodiesterase inhibitors in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2016;8:3407-3413. Published 2016 Oct 19. doi:10.2147/DDDT.S118015

Shahrokh Shariat, MD

Prof. Shariat has published over 1400 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals. In 2014 he received the Matula Award from the European Society of Urology (EAU), in 2017 the Gold Cystoscope Award from the American Society of Urology, probably the most important urologist award worldwide.

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