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Urban legends and folk beliefs are in interesting part of human nature. They reflect deep-seated hopes and fears. Some rumors are absurdly false and others are too strange to make up. Here's a list of some urban legends regarding aphrodisiacs and sex. (Updated August 30, 2007)
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Certain electronic musicians can play music whose frequency is capable of triggering orgasm. (Truth Undetermined). Sound and vibration can have powerful effects on living systems. At various concerts over the past few decades, various parts of my innards have resonated to loud music - but I never found it arousing. Certain sound and light patterns can trigger epilepsy, which is not so far removed from the convulsions of an orgasm. The motions of a train or boat, or the vibrations of a motorcycle seem to have an effect on some women. But can Craig Huxley use his blaster beam to knock women concert-goers out of their seats and into the aisles? Not sure. You can read more at the Temple of the Screaming Electron
The scent of a particular mushroom that grows in Hawaii and Polynesia causes arousal and orgasm in women, but men find the odor repulsive. (True) Click Here for Full Story.
The winter-flowering heather plant is a powerful aphrodisiac (probably false) Click Here for Full Story.
Yawning while taking the drug clomipramine can trigger orgasms. (True) This prescription antidepressant/OCD med can dramatically alter a persons neurotransmitters, and sometimes it causes hypersexuality. The yawn reflex is linked somehow to sexual arousal and orgasm - scientists that do aphrodisiac studies on mice use yawning as one measure of change in sexual function. But before you rush out to try to get a prescription, you should be aware that clomipramine has some serious potential side effects, and only a very small percent of people that take it will cum just by being bored. Other meds that have induced this type of hypersexual behavior include prozac, paxil and Effexor. (Antidepressant Induced Side Effects, Snopes reference)
Green M&M Candies are Aprodisiacs (Sorry, False) This one has been going around from at least the late 1960's or early 1970's. Around the same time that there were rumors about some gum being made from spider eggs. No evidence it is true. In Europe, this legend mutated to include smarties, another brand of coated chocolate candies.
This legend reminds me of the 'cooties' talk between the genders in grade school. As kids hit puberty, it becomes a method of talking about sex. If that junior high school hottie was willing to accept your green candy, or tells you she just ate a whole lot of green ones, it just might mean something. (Snopes reference)
Green is the color of Aphrodite.
Spanish Fly is slipped into drink of young lady on a date. He leaves for a moment, returns to find her pleasuring herself sexually. (False) There are many different mutations of this one - he goes to the bathroom, he goes to buy popcorn at a drive-in theatre, etc. She is humping the stick-shift lever, or is in the back seat with her dress pulled up, etc. This legend reflects the classic adolescent idea of an aphrodisiac - something that makes a female so horny she will do anything for sex - she will be unable to resist, will throw herself at her date. (Snopes reference, Feminista ref.)
Real Spanish Fly is a dangerous, potentially lethal product. Most things that are sold under that name today are worthless. And secretly giving a person a substance designed to get sex from them is rape - like all other components of the mating ritual, aphrodisiacs require consent.
Chinese farms raise bears under deplorable conditions, harvest gall bladders for use as aphrodisiac. (True) Bile from animal gall bladders has long been used as a medicine in Asia. There is evidence that bile supplements can treat a number of diseases, including psoriasis. No credible research has been carried out to determine if bile boosts libido, or if bear bile is any better than bile from cows and bulls, which is much less expensive as it can be harvested anywhere steak and burgers are produced. (Snopes reference)
The Military puts salt-peter in soldiers food before they go on leave to cause temporary impotence and prevent sexually transmitted disease. (Probably False) Many varieties of this idea are floating around - it usually involves salt-peter (potassium nitrate) but other chemicals have been mentioned (iodine, bromine).
There might be a grain of truth in this - nitrates cause the blood vessels to expand (nitroglycerin is used for quickly reducing high blood pressure in a crisis and for angina pain; amyl and butyl nitrate poppers have been used to enhance intercourse.)
It is possible, but not clearly proven that taking a dose of nitrates might initially increase nitric oxide associated with erections, and then deplete some chemical the body needs to make the little soldier stand up. In any case, the idea of adding nitrate to food for sexual purposes is not a good one - too much nitrate is toxic and interferes with the hemoglobin oxygen transport system. Nitrate in food also gets converted to nitrite, which causes cancer. And there is no documented practice of adding this soldier's food. (Snopes reference)
Mixing Coke and Aspirin produces and Aphrodisiac. (False) No scientific basis for this one, which is most prevalent among youngsters suffering from surging hormones and looking for a sure-fire way to get some. This combination is far more likely to cause a stomach ache than anything else - aspirin thins the stomach lining and colas are very acidic. Alcohol can also thin the stomach lining - switching to cola after the bar stops serving alcohol can lead to pain in about ten percent of the drinking population, and that problem becomes more common in older people. (Snopes reference)
Dogs are raised to be eaten as aphrodisiacs in Asia. (True). Although well-fed westerners have a strong taboo against eating any animal that humans have an emotional attachment to, that prohibition is far from universal. Dogs really are eaten in Asia, and some consider them to be aphrodisiacs. There isn't any evidence one way or the other, but these beliefs are rather interesting.
In Korea, 'Dr. Dogmeat' is a professor that has long advocated canine flesh for its nourishing and rejuvenating properties. Prior to the World Cup in Korea in 2002, the Korean Government thought it could attract more fans by promoting Korean dog dishes as aphrodisiacs for red-blooded males. That plan flopped. Some believe that dog contains a large amount of adrenaline, which acts as sexual stimulant. That idea doesn't hold much water, as much of the adrenaline would break down in storage and cooking. A larger dose of adrenaline could be obtained from surprising your date, or going on a roller-coaster, and it isn't clear that has a pronounced aphrodisiac effect.
Animal rights activists have been protesting the alleged use of Saint Bernard dogs for food in China. (Snopes reference)
Altoid Peppermints can improve Oral Sex. (Sorta True). Peppermint has a cooling effect, especially on the nipples and sensitive genital areas. Having a few curiously strong mints in the mouth while performing a blow-job can lead to an interesting sensation, one that many men find pleasurable. The sugar in mints can feed unwanted bacteria or yeast if they get into a woman's vagina, but mint on the surface is not usually a problem.
Many sex-lotions use mint or very, very dilute hot pepper extract to create sensations of cold or heat. These can add to fun in the bedroom and do qualify as an aphrodisiac in my book, although some individuals may react to the active ingredients or the lotion carrier. (Snopes reference)
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