New studies show that a common spice can increase sexual desire and arousal

Recent research has examined the effects of ginger on sexual health and shown potential benefits for both men and women. Two studies, one of them in the journal Genders and the other in The Journal of Sexual Researchinvestigated how ginger consumption may affect sexual desire, behavior, and arousal, and how it interacts with feelings of disgust during sexual activity.

Sexual dysfunction, which includes problems such as low sexual desire and arousal, affects many people and can lead to a range of negative consequences, such as depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life. Traditional approaches to treating sexual dysfunction often involve psychological therapy or drug interventions, which may not be appropriate or effective for everyone.

Ginger is a flowering plant native to Southeast Asia and is best known for its aromatic rhizome, which is often used as a spice and herbal remedy. The rhizome, or underground part of the stem, has a spicy, pungent flavor and is used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice in cooking and traditional medicine.

Ginger has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments, including digestive problems and inflammation. Anecdotal evidence and preliminary research suggests that ginger may also have beneficial effects on sexual function.

However, scientific research on its effectiveness and the mechanisms behind its potential benefits is limited. By examining the relationship between ginger consumption and sexual behavior, researchers aimed to provide empirical evidence on whether ginger may be a viable natural intervention to improve sexual function.

They were particularly interested in the possible interplay between sexual arousal and disgust. Disgust is a basic emotion that evolved as part of the behavioral immune system, a psychological and physiological response designed to protect humans from potential sources of infection and disease.

When we encounter something that could be harmful, such as spoiled food or bodily fluids, feelings of disgust trigger avoidance behaviors to minimize our exposure to pathogens. This protective mechanism helps us stay healthy by keeping us away from potential threats.

However, disgust can also interfere with sexual arousal and behavior. Sexual activities often involve close contact and the exchange of bodily fluids, which pose a risk of infection. While sexual arousal is a powerful motivator for sexual behavior, the simultaneous activation of disgust can create a conflict.

In a study published in the journal Genders In 2023, researchers investigated the relationship between daily ginger consumption, sexual desire, sexual behavior, and feelings of sexual arousal and disgust during sexual activities. To do this, they conducted a detailed survey with 499 Chinese participants (250 men and 249 women) recruited through Credamo, a professional online survey website.

The study found significant positive associations between weekly ginger consumption and higher levels of sexual desire and frequency of sexual behaviors, including sexual fantasy, masturbation, and dyadic sexual behaviors. Participants who consumed more ginger reported increased sexual arousal during sexual activities and lower levels of disgust.

For example, in individuals with higher ginger consumption, the frequency of sexual behavior was 33.4% higher in two groups than in individuals with lower consumption. Mediation analyses revealed that feelings of sexual arousal during sexual behavior mediated the relationship between ginger consumption and the frequency of that behavior. However, feelings of disgust did not significantly mediate this relationship, suggesting that the effects of ginger primarily increase sexual arousal and do not directly reduce disgust.

However, the results were limited by several limitations. Most importantly, this was a cross-sectional study. While this method is useful for establishing associations, it does not establish causality. It is possible that individuals who already have higher sexual desire and more frequent sexual activity may be more inclined to consume ginger for some reason, or there could be other unmeasured variables influencing both ginger consumption and sexual behavior.

In a subsequent study conducted in The Journal of Sexual ResearchThe researchers overcame these limitations by conducting a placebo-controlled experiment. This design allowed them to compare the effects of ginger with a placebo, providing stronger evidence of causality and minimizing potential biases inherent in self-reported data.

The study involved 247 Chinese participants (125 men and 122 women) recruited from East China Normal University and through social media platforms. Participants were randomly assigned to take either ginger capsules (1500 mg) or a placebo (calcium capsules). They were then divided into two groups: one was exposed to sexual bodily fluids (artificial sweat, saliva, semen and vaginal secretions) and the other to neutral fluids (fresh water, salt water, soda water and still water).

Participants first completed a series of tasks that required them to observe, smell, and touch the fluids while wearing gloves. These tasks were designed to elicit feelings of disgust associated with sexual bodily fluids. After each task, participants viewed erotic stimuli consisting of one-minute videos of nude and semi-nude models of the opposite sex. They reported their feelings of sexual arousal, disgust, and likelihood of engaging in sexual contact with the models in the videos using self-report instruments such as the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Revised (PANAS-R).

The researchers found that exposure to sexual bodily fluids elicited feelings of disgust in both men and women, with women reporting significantly higher levels of disgust. Interestingly, ginger consumption did not significantly reduce overall disgust elicited by sexual bodily fluids. However, ginger increased feelings of sexual arousal toward erotic stimuli, particularly in men.

Men who consumed ginger and were exposed to sexual bodily fluids reported greater sexual arousal than those exposed to neutral fluids. Women in the ginger group who completed the sexual bodily fluids tasks reported a higher likelihood of sexual engagement compared to those in the neutral fluids tasks. This suggests that ginger may attenuate the inhibitory effect of disgust on sexual arousal and willingness to engage in sexual engagement.

Despite these findings, the study did not find a significant reduction in feelings of disgust toward sexual bodily fluids or erotic stimuli that could be directly attributed to ginger consumption. This suggests that the main effect of ginger may be increasing sexual arousal rather than directly reducing feelings of disgust. The exact mechanisms behind these effects remain unclear, but researchers speculate that ginger may affect neurochemical pathways related to sexual arousal or indirectly reduce disgust by increasing arousal.

“Sexual problems are common complaints among men and women that negatively impact the quality of life and well-being of individuals,” the researchers concluded. “The current study demonstrated that sexual bodily fluids successfully elicit disgust and lead to a stronger disgust response to subsequent erotic stimuli. Sexual bodily fluids reduced sexual arousal to subsequent erotic stimuli in women taking a placebo, but increased the likelihood of sexual contact in women consuming ginger.”

“Administration of ginger increased sexual arousal to erotic stimuli in both men and women. Ginger may be a potential treatment for sexual problems, but long-term interventions are needed to test the effects of ginger on sexual function in people with and without sexual problems.”

The studies “Is ginger consumption in daily life related to sexual response?” and “Effects of ginger on disgust, sexual arousal, and sexual engagement: A placebo-controlled experiment” were authored by Guangju Wen, Yikang Zhang, Thomas J. Nyman, Patrick Jern, and Pekka Santtila.