Written by Charles Gumbley, BHSc (Clinical Nutrition), DipHSc (Western Herbal Medicine)
Evidence checked: 19 July 2026
A sudden or distressing change in sexual desire deserves assessment, not a stronger sexual-health product. Do not stop an antidepressant, blood-pressure medicine, hormonal medicine or other prescription because it may affect sex drive; ask the prescriber or pharmacist first.
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Supplements for libido cannot be ranked without first identifying what has changed. Libido means interest in sex. It is different from arousal, erection, lubrication, orgasm, pain and sexual performance, although these can affect one another. A product studied for blood flow to the penis is not automatically evidence for sexual desire in any gender.
Key points
- Reduced desire can relate to stress, mood, relationships, sleep, pain, menopause, pregnancy, breastfeeding, a health condition or medicine.
- Maca, saffron and Tribulus terrestris have small or mixed evidence bases; study results do not transfer to every extract.
- Testosterone is not a general libido booster. Treatment requires an appropriate diagnosis and clinician-led monitoring.
- Online sexual-enhancement products may contain undeclared prescription medicines.
- The best next step is often a cause-specific assessment rather than another dietary supplement.
Decreased libido: start with the cause
A healthy libido is the level of sexual interest that feels normal and acceptable to the individual, not a fixed frequency. Concern is more relevant when lower libido persists, causes distress or affects a relationship. Healthdirect lists stress, fatigue, depression, anxiety, relationship factors, medical conditions, medicines, alcohol and other drugs among the causes of low libido.¹ ²
Sexual desire in women may also change with pregnancy, breastfeeding, contraception, perimenopause, menopause, vaginal dryness or painful sex. Libido in men can be affected by low testosterone, but symptoms alone do not establish androgen deficiency. Erectile dysfunction can coexist with low sex drive, yet a firmness problem is not the same diagnosis.
A clinician may review onset, distress, pain, mood, sleep, medicine timing, substance use, relationship context and relevant hormone levels. New genital pain, bleeding, discharge, a testicular lump, severe pelvic symptoms or marked depression needs prompt care. Consent is essential: no one should feel pressured to increase sexual activity.
Best supplements for libido: evidence comparison
Scroll sideways to read the full table →
| Ingredient | What research examined | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| Maca | A 2010 systematic review found four small randomised trials across desire and sexual-function outcomes.³ | Limited participants and study quality prevented a firm conclusion. |
| Panax species | A 2021 Cochrane review examined erectile function in men.⁴ | Low-certainty evidence suggested a clinically trivial average effect; this is not proof of increased desire. |
| Saffron | A 2019 review pooled five studies with 173 participants across sexual-function difficulties.⁵ | Small, heterogeneous studies and condition-specific outcomes limit transfer. |
| Tribulus | A 2021 review reported preliminary sexual function and desire findings in women.⁶ | Few preparations and trials; hormone and safety claims exceed the evidence. |
| Horny goat weed | Laboratory research explores icariin and vascular signalling. | Reliable human evidence for libido, dose and long-term safety is inadequate. |
No table entry identifies supplements that work for everyone or reliably improve sexual function. A trial of one standardised extract cannot validate a multi-ingredient sexual-health formula. “Natural supplements” and “herbal supplements” can still cause adverse effects or medicine interactions.
Libido supplement claims versus healthy sexual function
Some libido enhancers use blood-flow language. Nitric oxide can influence vascular relaxation, and prescription medicines can increase blood flow, but an erection does not create desire. A product claiming to improve blood flow may therefore target erectile function rather than reduced desire.
The same distinction applies to testosterone levels. Confirmed deficiency can affect energy levels and sex drive, but testosterone treatment is only appropriate after clinical diagnosis in males.² For postmenopausal women with distressing low desire, hormone therapy is a specialist decision, not a reason to buy products claiming to change the production of sex hormones.
Maca and saffron have also been studied for antidepressant-related adverse sexual effects. That cause-specific evidence does not justify changing psychiatric medicine without the prescriber. A 2022 review found no benefit evidence for ginkgo in this setting and a small, varied evidence base for other nutraceuticals.⁷
Female and male libido safety checks
Before using a supplement, review pregnancy, breastfeeding, contraception, menopause, bleeding risk, blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, liver or kidney disease and planned surgery. Panax products, saffron, ginkgo, Tribulus and concentrated herbal products need product-specific review. A health professional should check the exact ingredient list rather than a marketing category.
The TGA warned on 29 June 2026 that laboratory testing found undeclared sildenafil, tadalafil or dapoxetine in several products sold as natural sexual-enhancement supplements.⁸ These prescription substances can create serious interactions, including dangerous blood-pressure effects with nitrates. Avoid unapproved online pills and verify Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods status where applicable.
Lifestyle changes can support sexual health when they address the cause: adequate sleep, reduced alcohol, smoking cessation, regular movement, pain management, communication and less performance pressure. A sex therapist, relationship counsellor, pelvic-health clinician or GP may be more relevant than libido boosters.
Searches for “increase sex drive”, “male sex drive”, “increase sexual desire” or “improve your sex life” often describe different needs. Ways to increase closeness will not resolve medicine adverse effects or pain; a vascular intervention will not necessarily increase libido. The useful clinical question is which factor changed and what response would matter to that person.
Improve libido questions
What is the best supplement to boost libido?
There is no universal best supplement. Maca, ginseng, saffron and Tribulus have limited or outcome-specific evidence. The most useful choice may be no supplement until medicine effects, pain, mood, menopause, relationship factors, erectile dysfunction and confirmed hormone problems have been assessed.
How do I boost my libido quickly?
There is no reliable instant method. Sleep, privacy, pain, stress, medication effects and emotional safety can change sexual desire. Products promising to boost your libido or boost your sex drive quickly deserve caution, especially unapproved online pills.
How to fix extremely low libido?
Persistent or distressing loss of libido warrants a GP or sexual-health review. Do not self-diagnose a hormone problem or stop prescribed medicine. Assessment can identify underlying factors and match care to the person, which may include medicine review, management of pain or menopause symptoms, mental-health support or specialist counselling. Clinicians use sexual dysfunction only when the defined problem and distress criteria fit; it is not a label for normal variation.
What naturally increases horniness?
People vary. Natural ways to support sexual desire include sufficient rest, privacy, communication, consensual touch, managing pain and reducing stress or excess alcohol. These may help improve libido when they address the cause, but no food or herb can guarantee arousal or increase your libido on demand.
References
- Healthdirect Australia. Guidance on low desire in women. Healthdirect
- Healthdirect Australia. Guidance on loss of sexual desire in men. Reviewed March 2026. Healthdirect
- Shin BC, et al. Maca for improving sexual function: a systematic review. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2010;10:44. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-10-44. PubMed
- Lee HW, et al. Cochrane review of Panax species for erectile dysfunction. 2021;4:CD012654. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012654.pub2. PubMed
- Ranjbar H, Ashrafizaveh A. Systematic review and meta-analysis of saffron and sexual-function outcomes. Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine. 2019;9(5):419–427. PubMed
- Puga AM, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of natural products and women’s sexual-function outcomes. Phytomedicine. 2022;93:153760. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153760. PubMed
- Landucci E, et al. Nutraceuticals and antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunctions: a systematic review. Current Issues in Molecular Biology. 2022;44(8):3335–3350. doi:10.3390/cimb44080230. PubMed
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. Sexual enhancement supplements found to contain undeclared prescription medicines. 29 June 2026. TGA
