Can Foods Increase Libido? What the Science Says About Nutrition and Sex Drive

Your libido (sex drive) is your interest or desire for sex. There's no clear definition of a "normal" libido. You can have a healthy sexual relationship with either a high or low libido.

But some people find that their libido is lower than they'd like, leading to relationship conflicts or self-esteem issues. As a result, you might look for ways to boost your sex drive.

Can the foods you eat boost your libido? Below, we share what research says about potential libido-boosting foods.

What actually increases libido?

There's no single factor that influences libido. Your physical health, stress levels, and hormones all play a role. Life events and relationship factors can also change your libido. And your sex drive will naturally fluctuate over time, even from day to day.

When it comes to diet, studies show that certain nutrients in food may impact hormones and minerals that influence sexual desire and arousal. Foods may affect libido by influencing:

• Hormones such as testosterone

• Brain-based chemicals like dopamine, which influence pleasure

• Blood levels of nitric oxide, which helps increase blood flow to your genitals

• Levels of zinc, a mineral that helps regulate hormone levels in males and females

• Intake of antioxidants, which may boost mood and energy

What foods increase libido the most?

The research on libido and foods isn't clear-cut. But some foods are more likely than others to help boost libido. Here are some foods you can try.

Oysters

There are no clinical studies in humans that directly link oysters to an increased libido. But in animal studies, mice given injections of oyster extracts showed more mating behaviors, suggesting that oysters may help boost sex drive.

What is known is that oysters are one of the richest food sources of zinc, a mineral linked to improved testosterone levels. Testosterone is a hormone known to boost sex drive in both males and females.

Studies show that supplementing with zinc can increase testosterone levels. The average zinc supplement contains 25 mg. A 3-oz serving of oysters has 32 mg zinc, so eating oysters may be similar to taking a zinc supplement.

Zinc also helps increase levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in sexual arousal. So, while clinical studies don't confirm it, oysters may be an aphrodisiac and are worth a try.

Watermelon

Watermelon seeds have been shown to increase libido in rats. Male rats fed watermelon flesh also showed an increase in sexual mounting behaviors, suggesting an increased sex drive. This link hasn't been proven in humans.

How is watermelon thought to help increase libido? Multiple studies show that consuming watermelon or watermelon extract leads to higher testosterone levels. Plus, watermelon contains an amino acid (building block of protein) called citrulline. Citrulline gets converted tonitric oxide, which widens blood vessels, allowing for better blood flow and improved erections. Citrulline supplementation has also been shown to help improve erectile dysfunction (ED) in males.

ED isn't the same as low sex drive. But sometimes having ED can lead to low libido.

If you're looking for the most citrulline, eat the watermelon rind (the white part) as well, since it has a higher concentration of citrulline than the flesh.

Pomegranate

Known as a symbol of fertility, the pomegranate is another possible libido-boosting food. Pomegranates are filled with antioxidants that may improve blood flow and also lead to improved mood.

But before you stock up on fresh pomegranates, it's important to note that most studies have been conducted on rats, not humans. And many studies use pomegranate extracts instead of fresh fruit.

One study on rats found that pomegranate juice extract was as powerful as sildenafil (Viagra) in boosting libido and sexual behavior. A small study in humans found that drinking pomegranate juice led to some improvement in ED. However, the improvement wasn't enough to be statistically significant. So, it's too soon to say if pomegranates can help with libido. More studies are needed to know if pomegranate juice could be helpful at higher doses.

Ginseng

Ginseng is a popular herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It's available as a supplement, in tea, or as a root that can be used in cooking. In TCM, Korean red ginseng is used to enhance libido and treat ED in men. It may work by boosting dopamine, a brain chemical that regulates pleasure.

Several studies have shown that ginseng helps improve ED after daily intake for 8 to 12 weeks. There's also evidence that it can increase sexual desire and arousal in females.

Ginseng is considered safe in recommended amounts for up to 6 months, but it might not be safe for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. The most common side effect is trouble sleeping.

Talk to your primary care provider if you're thinking of taking ginseng, as it can interact with certain medications.

Garlic

Garlic is a culinary staple that adds rich flavor to food. It's also available as a supplement.

Studies show that, in men, garlic may enhance fertility, help erections, and increase testosterone levels. These benefits are largely due to the antioxidants in garlic, including allicin.

For women, garlic may improve PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and improve hormonal balance, which can help boost sex drive. Studies also show that fermented garlic extract helps increase nitric oxide availability in your body. Since nitric oxide is linked to sexual arousal in both males and females, it may help boost libido as well.

With its many health benefits, garlic is worth trying if you're looking to turn up your sex drive. Just keep in mind that eating lots of it can cause the smell of garlic on your breath or skin to linger for up to 2 days.

Meat and Poultry

High-protein foods like beef, pork, and chicken contain compounds that may help with libido, such as carnitine and L-arginine. Similar to citrulline in watermelon, L-arginine helps ED by improving blood flow and circulation. Carnitine may help improve erections and even boost mood in older males.

Meat and poultry also contain the mineral zinc, which boosts testosterone levels.

Keep in mind that these foods may be high in saturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to no more than 10% of your total calories.

Legumes, nuts, and seeds

Legumes, nuts, and seeds are great plant-based sources of libido-boosting compounds like L-arginine and zinc. They may have the added benefit of also improving heart health. Examples include:

• Pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds

• Legumes such as peanuts and lentils

• Peanuts, walnuts, and almonds

• Soybeans (including tofu, which is made from soy)

• Chickpeas (a good source of vitamin B6, which plays a role in making testosterone)

Dark chocolate

Chocolate is often touted as an aphrodisiac, but there are no studies showing that it boosts libido. In fact, one small study showed that females who ate a lot of chocolate actually had less interest in sex.

The idea behind chocolate as a libido enhancer probably comes from the idea that chocolate contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is a building block for the hormone serotonin, often referred to as the "feel good" hormone because it boosts your mood. But does that increase sex drive? Maybe for some people, but it's not supported by clinical studies.

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