His and Her Health

Does anyone know of any products out there that actually work to help increase blood flow to the vaginal area? Any supplements or anything like that to help? I've seen some products but they cost so much and whose to say if they really work? I'm looking for non prescription methods. From what I read is that for men that is a cause of impotency, lack of blood flow to the member. For women lack of blood flow can cause similar problem. <BR>

Unf, the only product that I know of aside from estrogen that increases blood flow to the female genitals for sure is Viagra, which some doctors will perscribe off-label. Some insurances will cover it that way, but not all.<P>Zane might know of some herbal solutions, as well.

Yohimbe might work; it's the poor man's Viagra. But it does have some side effects. Exercise is probably your best bet. General aerobic fitness will help, but also try PC muscle exercises using vaginal cone weights. Fish oil also can help with blood flow. And of course, do not smoke cigarettes or drink caffeine.

Dona, are you saying that Unf is in fact the "off brand" substitute for Viagra. I've been waiting for 5 yrs now for the FDA to approve female use of Viagra. Have tried the GYN's Eros CST and found it totally uncomfortable for such sensitive tissues. Strwbry and I seem to have the same issue and need/want to take action. I'm 60 now but five yrs. ago there was no problem at all. I can FEEL the lack of engorgement; and certainly can tell the drastic difference it causes for satisfaction. Have not tried any natural products from health supply stores, guess I have no faith in such remedies. Hope to hear from ya'll. I've found much info helpful and most informative. Thus my registration today for more of the same.

I think she meant "unf" as short for "unfortunately." Unfortunately I think the closest thing to Viagra you can try is yohimbe--it's actually not so woo-woo out there, sold at most regular drugstores, at least around here. The chemical extract yohimbine is used by doctors to treat ED, with proven success. I believe Dr. Andre Guay has conducted a study on this usage.<P>On the other hand, yohimbe does have some serious side effects, similar to Viagra (although from what I've heard, not as severe). I believe the mechanism is similar.

Thnx for the lesson on the abbreviations there'll be a lot of them I'll get to know eventually. The side effects of the yohimbe: can you list a few? The other query I have is: in your experience/knowledge, can it be used in combination with anti- depressant medications? I'm so glad I've come upon all of you here.

I'm not a doctor, so these side effects I'm just getting off the Internet doing a search. It sounds pretty scary--I think what happens is that men get carried away and take too much. But even at low levels you should probably check with your doctor. I took it myself, just for kicks, and I will say it worked. My clit was fully erect for hours; it was uncomfortable, felt like a marble. And it actually seemed to slow down my orgasm, and certainly had zero effect on desire. My heart was thumping and I felt like I had drunk too much coffee. On the other hand, it might be a godsend for someone with poor circulation down there. But here's the bad news; in this verbiage it specifically mentions not to take it if you are on antidepressants:<P>"Yohimbe is a tree bark containing a variety of pharmacologically active chemicals. It is marketed in a number of products for body building and "enhanced male performance." Serious adverse effects, including renal failure, seizures and death, have been reported to FDA with products containing yohimbe and are currently under investigation.<BR>- Food and Drug Administration -- <A HREF="vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html" TARGET=_blank>vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html</A> <BR>The major identified alkaloid in yohimbe is yohimbine, a chemical that causes vasodilation, thereby lowering blood pressure. Yohimbine is also a prescription drug in the United States. Side effects are well recognized and may include central nervous system stimulation that causes anxiety attacks. At high doses, yohimbine is a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor. MAO inhibitors can cause serious adverse effects when taken concomitantly with tyramine-containing foods (e.g., liver, cheeses, red wine) or with over-the-counter (OTC) products containing phenylpropanolamine, such as nasal decongestants and diet aids. Individuals taking yohimbe should be warned to rigorously avoid these foods and OTC products because of the increased likelihood of adverse effects.<BR>- Food and Drug Administration -- <A HREF="vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html" TARGET=_blank>vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html</A> <P>Yohimbe should also be avoided by individuals with hypotension (low blood pressure), diabetes, and heart, liver or kidney disease. Symptoms of overdosage include weakness and nervous stimulation followed by paralysis, fatigue, stomach disorders, and ultimately death.<BR>- Food and Drug Administration -- <A HREF="vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html" TARGET=_blank>vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html</A> <P>Yohimbe can be toxic and should be avoided. The effective dose is very close to the toxic dose. Self-medication is strongly discouraged because of its side effects. Yohimbine from yohimbe bark can produce significant side effects even in moderate to small amounts, especially if taken over a long period of time. <P>May induce excessive adrenal or sympathetic nerve stimulation, anxiety, panic attacks, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, irritability, headache, nausea, skin flushing, sweating, dizziness, frequent urination, water retention, rise in body temperature, and hyperactivity, weakness, paralysis, gastrointestinal problems, hallucinations, psychosis and even death. <P>People who have inflammation in their sexual organs should not use Yohimbe. <P>Yohimbe should not be used by people who are taking drugs - especially tranquilizers, anti-depressants, sedatives, caffeine, amphetamines, antihistamines or narcotics - or significant amounts of alcohol. <P>Anyone with a heart condition, kidney disease, diabetes, glaucoma, abnormal blood pressure, irregular blood sugar, psychological disorders, or history of gastric or duodenal ulcers should avoid this herb. <P>Advise your health care practitioner before taking any yohimbe-containing product if you are taking cardiac or psychiatric medication <P>Yohimbe is also a short term MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitor and should be used with caution, especially if you have high blood pressure. Being an MAO inhibitor, yohimbe should not be taken with any food or drink that contain high amounts of tyramine (all wines, beer and ale; cheese, products made with large amount of yeast, salami, sausage, bologna, pepperoni, pickled herring, meat extracts, chicken liver, salted dried fish, avocado, tomato, green bean pods, eggplant, Italian broad beans, banana, red plums, oranges, figs, raisins, soy sauce, bouillon cubes, soya, stored beef) and particularly not with the amino acids tyrosine or phenylalanine. A rise in blood pressure can result from the body not being able to remove the tyramines from these foods. <P>It's generally of no value when impotency stems from organic nerve troubles."<BR>

"Blue", thankyou so much for all the info; it is most helpful. Would you use it again?<BR>Doesn't sound good to me! Too many warnings for my psych meds. I really appreciate your comments a lot and the time you take to put them on here.

I wouldn't take it again, but I don't have any problems with genital bloodflow. In your situation I might if I wasn't on antidepressants, but very carefully.<P>I will repeat I think the best thing to try would be a combination of high-dose fish oil, say six grams of fish oil a day, and PC muscle exercise either using weights or resistance training. It's a very safe approach (unless you are on blood-thinning medication already or aspirin therapy).

*bump* for briardur