Muira puama Ptychopetalum olacoides

Muira puama is a popular
herb for mens health

Folklore throughout South America strongly supports muira puama's stimulating properties. It is commonly referred to not only as an aphrodisiac but also as a nerve stimulant that is said to heighten the receptiveness to sexual stimuli, and according to Steven C. Hollifield, in The Healing Forest, muira puama is a preventive of baldness. Traditional healers use all parts of the tree for food and medicine, but focus primarily on the bark and roots to make a tea taken to treat rheumatism, strengthen the heart, and promote intestinal health. It has been widely used in Europe and South America for hundreds of years and was listed in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia as a treatment for impotence.

Muira puama seems to have two effects: increasing libido and increasing penile hardness. Muira puama is rich in naturally occurring sterols, which are possible building blocks for hormones such as testosterone. Also present are numerous other chemicals and volatile oils like camphor, which help restore the sex drive and inner depth of libido. The second effect, penile hardness may stem from its apparent effect on circulation.