All About Damiana
What is Damiana?
A small shrub commonly found in mexico is gaining popularity for being a safe health supplement to counter a lot of ailments, the Damiana. Damiana is a small shrub that grows natively in the central and south Americas and is used as a health supplement. It is found in abundance in places like south western Texas, Mexico, West Indies and the Caribbean. The Damiana is a low growing shrub that produces small fragrant flowers. The flowers usually bloom in early to late summer followed by the production of fig flavored fruits.
The Damiana shrub or Turnera Aphrodisiaca(also known as Turnera diffusa) belongs to the Passifloraceae family and has many common names including Damiane, Damina, Oreganillo, the Bourrique, Damiana de Guerrero, Mexican damiana and Mexican holly. The damiana’s fragrance is said to be comparable to those of chamomiles. The damiana’s leaves are traditionally burned to serve as incense for rituals or special occasions. Native people from Central America are known to use damiana as tea, this is done by brewing the plant fragrant leaves.
Uses of Damiana
Early Spanish missionaries were the first to record the plants use as an aphrodisiac for the early inhabitants of Mexico. For medicinal purposes, the damiana leaves are taken either fresh or dried. The damiana contains a number of terpenes that includes cineol, arbutin, cadinen, cymol, pinen, thymol, tannin and caffeine. Damiana leaves are also usually brewed and served as tea, enjoyed for its relaxing effects. Sugar is usuall added to the tea to enhance its flavor but the tea “as is” is already pleasing because of its fragrance. The damiana also plays an important role in improving your drinking experience, in mexico, damiana extract is preffered to triple sec in making your favorite margaritas. A popular story dictates that damiana is one of the original ingredients used in creating the first margarita. The margarita with damiana extract, aptly called “damiana margarita” is very popular in a region in mexico called “Los Cabos”. Modern clinical testing shows supporting evidence that damiana leaves promote a positive effect on animal sexuality (tests were conducted on lab rats), mostly by increasing reproductive cell count and sexual drive.
Benefits of Damiana
Why use damiana supplements? Well if you are experiencing low sexual drive coupled with very low sperm or egg count, or if you are simply not feeling well, stressed out and fatigued, then this herbal supplement may be the one put an end to your problems.
• Increase Libido and Improves fertility
The damiana corrects hormonal imbalance in the body, this helps ease symptoms common in women experiencing menopause. With damiana, an increase in sperm cells for men and egg cells for women has been observed. This positive effect in fertility is more than enough to put damiana in the pedestal along with other herbal supplements like cordyceps or ashwagandha. But the benefits in sexuality does not end there, damiana is also promoted as an effective supplement to increase libido or sexual drive. The damiana’s potency as an aphrodisiac may rival those of clinically formulated medications like the Viagra but damiana has the benefit of being all-natural. In men, damiana may help correct erectile dysfunction by stimulating blood flow in the sexual organs that would in ultimately result in a dependable erection. Damiana leaves also show positive effects in combating anorgasmia in both men and women. Anorgasmia is the inability to achieve an orgasm.
• Cures Headaches
When used as a tea, the brewed damiana leaves provide the chemicals that lessen headache. The pain is usually due to the disturbances in the pain receptors that are controlled by the brain. The damiana also contains a substance known as Damianin, this substance induces a relaxing effect on the central nervous system, promoting proper coordination between the brain, neurons and nerves.
• Bedwetting
Nocturnal enuresis also known as Bedwetting is an embarrassing condition that afflicts the young and the not so young or as the rude might say, “Old people”. The relaxing effect of the damiana also plays a role in involuntary urination this is because one of the causes of bedwetting is stress, and relieving stress reduces the chance of wetting ones bed. That certainly leaves you “relieved“, doesn’t it?
• Depression
Some of the chemicals found in damiana are categorized as anti-depressants. Aside from depression, these chemicals are used in treating other mood and central nervous system disorders. The damianas ability to balance hormone levels is responsible for promoting light, carefree, positive behavior.
• Remedy for Indigestion
Damiana is also effective for ensuring a healthy digestive system. One of damianas use is to ease constipation. Damiana tea helps fix indigestion that result in the painful heartburns. Heartburn is the pain caused by stomach acids that rush up the esophagus. Damiana is the traditional cure for a lot of digestive problems it may also serve as an antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, mild laxative, digestive stimulant, diuretic, and astringent.
Damiana Supplements
If you plan to take damiana supplements, you must remember to use it in accordance with the directions in the supplement’s packaging or better if one would initially consult a doctor or pharmacist to be informed in the best way to take damiana. Damiana supplements are usually sold in pill or tablet form but there are damiana supplements intended to be taken as tea. Be sure to consume only recommended amounts of damiana supplements although generally safe there is still a risk for overdose. Damiana is relatively safe in regular doses. Store damiana supplements as directed on the packaging. In general, damiana should be protected from light to prolong its shelf life.
