3 supplements shown to increase libido: - Maca, tongkat ali (longjack) and tribulus all have peer-reviewed research behind them - Maca: 2-3 grams per day, sold as a powder or capsule - Take it early in the day - it acts as a stimulant and can interfere with sleep - Studies ran 8-12 weeks, in men and women, athletes and non-athletes - Maca raised subjective sexual desire independent of hormones - no change in testosterone or estrogen - None of these are required, and check with your physician first @hubermanlab

Raising dopamine won't fix your libido: - Some dopamine is required for libido, but driving it too high backfires - At high arousal you can't engage the parasympathetic arm of the autonomic nervous system, the one that produces physical arousal - The result is chronic pursuit with an inability to perform, in men and women - Amphetamine and cocaine users show this exact pattern: hyper aroused, unable to perform @hubermanlab

How to use testosterone for low libido in women: - Rule out psychological relationship and medication causes first - Check testosterone: female physiologic levels are about one tenth of male levels - The cream absorbs systemically wherever you apply it - Apply one tenth of an AndroGel tube to the back of the calf or upper outer buttock - Use hairless skin for absorption - Postmenopausal data show more desire and more sexually satisfying events - For vestibulodynia a compounded estrogen and testosterone cream on the vestibule reduces pain @RenaMalikMD on @hubermanlab

How to take Tongkat Ali for libido: - Take 400 mg per day in capsule form - The Indonesian variety is the more potent one for libido - It raises free testosterone by lowering sex hormone binding globulin - Bound testosterone cannot act at most cells. Free testosterone is what drives the effects - Ismail 2012 reported a significant increase in libido and sexual function, though there are fewer controlled studies than for maca - Not typically cycled. Run blood work on liver enzymes and hormone levels and check with your doctor first @hubermanlab