Natural supplements to kickstart nooky.

Looking to amp up your sex life without all the icky side effects of prescription drugs? Dr Ray Sahelian has been studying the benefits of natural supplements for years. In his most recent book, Natural Sex Boosters (Square One Publishers), he draws on personal trial runs, female and male patient feedback and medical research to assess the true erotic qualities of over 20 different natural remedies.

1. Diffuse Anxiety With Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an ancient ayurvedic shrub root that helps diffuse anxiety, which can allow you to be more open to lovemaking. We’ve all let everyday stresses, insecurities and anxieties get in the way of nooky. So while ashwagandha is not necessarily a libido booster, it brings a sense of calm and well-being, so that your inner eroticism can emerge.

2. Pregnelolone Stimulates the Senses

Pregnenolone is a steroidal hormone that can increase sensory stimulation including sight, hearing and touch. So, those normally ho-hum kisses or suggestive grazes from your lover just might have you crackling with sexual energy—a good time to bust out your arsenal of sexual sights and sounds.

3. Gear Up With Tongkat Ali

Tongkat Ali, also known as long jack, is a tree root from Southeast Asia. It takes several hours to kick in, so take it with breakfast or at your mid-morning coffee break and you’ll be ready to rumble by the time you get off work.

4. Yohimbe Gives an Instant Boost 

Anything that worked for Bantu tribes during “extended orgiastic mating rituals that would last up to two weeks” has got to do something smokin’ hot for your love life. Sahelian reports that the bark of the Yohimbe tree, which is an evergreen native to Western Africa, and its active ingredient, yohimbine, is one of the most immediate, intense natural sexual boosters on the market.

5.  Andro’s Great for Mature Love

Sahelian calls andro, a natural steroidal hormone, “the father of testosterone.” Though often equated with male sexuality, testosterone also impacts the female libido, and its levels drop as we age. Andro is most effective for middle-aged and older women and works best when taken a couple of days in a row, leading up to a weekend of passionate sex.