Ranked by evidence

Best supplements for libido and sexual health

Very few supplements have controlled evidence for sexual function, and what exists is almost all about erectile function in men rather than desire. The list is ranked by the grade of the evidence for this goal, not by how popular the product is, and nothing here reaches strong. Persistent erectile problems deserve a medical check first, since they are often an early cardiovascular sign.

Picks are ranked by the strength of published evidence for this goal in otherwise healthy adults. A persistent symptom needs a clinician's evaluation, and no supplement on this list replaces treatment.

Evidence last reviewed: September 2026

Solid options

Option	Evidence	Best for	The honest note
L-Arginine	Moderate evidence	mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction	Small randomised trials at 3–6 g/day, often of combination products, report better erectile function scores in men with mild-to-moderate ED. The effect is well below that of PDE5 inhibitors, and it adds to the blood-pressure-lowering effect of nitrates and PDE5 drugs.	View

Situational

Option	Evidence	Best for	The honest note
Tongkat Ali	Moderate evidence	older men with low testosterone	The one testosterone herb with a positive meta-analysis, and trials at 200–300 mg/day in aging men report better erectile function and sexual wellbeing. Trials in young men with normal testosterone are more often null, and several were manufacturer-supported.	View
Yohimbine	Moderate evidence	third-line option for erectile dysfunction	A meta-analysis of 7 trials found it beat placebo for erectile dysfunction, but those trials predate PDE5 inhibitors, which work far better and are better tolerated. It has a substantial adverse-event record and is a prescription drug in several countries, so it is not something to self-dose.	View

Popular for this goal — but the evidence says skip

Tribulus Terrestris Limited evidence
Controlled trials in healthy men show no rise in testosterone, and the erectile function trials are small, inconsistently standardised and not reliably replicated.
Maca Root Limited evidence
A systematic review found only 4 eligible randomised trials for sexual desire and function, too small and weak to conclude anything.
Horny Goat Weed Limited evidence
There is no adequately designed human trial for erectile function, and male-enhancement products containing it have been found spiked with undeclared sildenafil or tadalafil.
Panax Ginseng Moderate evidence
Pooled trials of Korean red ginseng for erectile function look positive, but they are small and of low methodological quality, so the evidence is suggestive rather than conclusive.
Yohimbe Bark Extract Limited evidence
The whole bark has never been trialled, and products contain anywhere from undetectable to many times the labelled amount of yohimbine.
DHEA Moderate evidence
Meta-analyses found no effect on sexual function in older men and no effect on sexual well-being in women with adrenal insufficiency.

Our verdict

For mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction, L-arginine is the most reasonable thing to try, and tongkat ali makes sense mainly for older men with low testosterone. Skip tribulus, maca, horny goat weed and yohimbe bark, and be wary of any sexual-enhancement product, because the category is repeatedly found spiked with undeclared sildenafil or tadalafil analogues.