The False Aphrodisiacs

22Oct11

Aphrodisiacs increase sexual arousal, raise certain hormone levels and in short terms, get people ready to “do some deeds.”  Some aphrodisiacs gained popular fame for their bodily pleasures and when asked to list off a few aphrodisiacs, most would yell out oysters, chocolate, lavender…wine!

Let us bring our attention to that last one on the list.  Many call alcohol a social lubricant, some even may say it promotes sexual activity, but can it rightfully be called an aphrodisiac?

In the break down of the above definition of aphrodisiacs, alcohol doesn’t always fit the bill.  Alcoholic beverages can in fact make you hot and heavy (the phenomena of an “alcohol blanket” that keeps a body warm in seemingly freezing temperatures, and lets face the fact that most alcohols out there when drunken in large quantities will give you a little more cushion for the pushin’) but sexual arousal is not always the result of intoxication.  When consuming alcohol, hormones are released differently like aphrodisiacs, but whether it helps people have sexual activity is often debated.
From the physiological point of view, alcohol seems to be more of a “cockblock” than turn on.  Alcohol may be thought of as a sexual promoter because it sometimes activates hormones that increase libido and often vastly decreases many of those inhibitions that are present during the day.  Reality shows that alcoholic beverages suppress many vital parts of the sexual response cycle.

According to an issue of the British Medical Bulletin, alcohol consumption causes testosterone production in males to decrease, placing a bit of a wet blanket on most male’s libido and arousal.  Many males have a harder time than usual achieving an erection that has gained a popular name in the halls as “whiskey dick.”  The effects continue when many also have more difficulty or more latency when reaching climax.
Females have quite a different physiological reaction (one of mother nature’s cruel jokes).  Females begin to release more testosterone then usual when drinking, which does in fact increase sexual libido, but the stages of the sexual response cycle suffer. In many, it reduces vaginal fluids to be released, decreasing lubrication as well as causes decreased sensitivity during climax concerning both the intensity and the ability to have orgasms.

Both males and females have reported increased sexual arousal during activity while intoxicated, but when monitored, results show the psychological and physiological effects do not match up according to a study released in The New England Journal of Medicine. This may prove that physical sexual arousal may be often confused for decreased inhibitions.

Alcohol may not live up to everything its sexual reputation puts out but there are aphrodisiacs out there that provide nothing but the arousal they promise.  Come find out about the beauty of sexual foods on upper Sproul on Monday with SHEP for Sexual Health Awareness Week!

Filed under: Sexual Health Awareness Week   |  1 Comment
Tags: alcohol, aphrodisiacs, arousal, libido