Damiana Leaves 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Damiana Leaves – 100 g ($18.99), 50 g ($11.99), 25 g ($7.99)

Benefits:
Few clinical studies have been performed on damiana. Animal studies indicate that the herb has blood sugar–lowering effects and is an anti-inflammatory. It also seems to bind progesterone but not estrogen and may be helpful in menopause formulas and to increase sexual function. Damiana has been associated with improved sexual function for both men and women. It contains elements that directly stimulate the nerves, genitals, blood circulation, and metabolism. It has been reported to give a mild narcotic “high” that lasts for about an hour. Longer use of damiana increases its potency and helps to regulate sex hormones in women.

Damiana along with other herbs is used to treat sexual trauma, lack of sexual desire and pleasure, and erectile dysfunction (ED). However, it must be used consistently for several weeks before an effect is noticed. It may also act to clear the kidneys, help with digestion, relieve constipation, clear coughs, and help control bed-wetting.

Damiana is a stimulating nerve tonic used for debility, depression, and lethargy. It is used in Germany for its tonic action on the hormonal and central nervous systems.

Libido  Over the centuries and around the globe, many things have been credited as aphrodisiacs. Oysters, asparagus, and artichokes have a history as aphrodisiacs, and some recommend plants like saw palmetto or beetle extracts like Spanish fly. Damiana has long been famous as an aphrodisiac. Whether you’re looking to ignite a spark or just maintain balance, this tea’s ability to support blood flow and hormone health might come in handy. The compounds in damiana work by improving circulation and enhancing sensitivity, making it beneficial for both men and women. It also helps alleviate stress and anxiety, which can often be barriers to intimacy. With a balanced hormonal system and reduced stress, damiana can naturally help restore a healthy libido and create a more fulfilling experience.

Damiana’s most established effect is treating low libido and sexual dysfunction in both men and women. However, most studies have used damiana paired with other herbs, making it difficult to confirm if the effects are from damiana or another herb in the mix. Researchers suggest damiana might affect libido by causing changes in estrogen or testosterone, but the complete mechanism is still unknown.

For example, a randomized study of over 75 men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction found that an herbal mixture containing damiana helped improve sexual function compared to a placebo.

Similarly, in a study of about 30 postmenopausal women with low sexual desire, an herbal combination including damiana resulted in increased desire and increased lubrication and orgasms.5 Some other small studies also support the potential benefit of damiana for sexual dysfunction, and the drug has long been used for this purpose. Sexual dysfunction can have many underlying causes—both physical and psychological.67 One supplement or aphrodisiac may not be able to address all the factors contributing to sexual dysfunction. If you have concerns about your libido or sexual function, it’s important to have a discussion with your healthcare provider.

Damiana has been used as an aphrodisiac since the time of the Maya. A clinical study involving 1,000 men in the United States and Europe indicates that the herb can relieve erectile failure in attempts at repeated intercourse after orgasm. A combination of damiana and muira puama is associated with an increased frequency of intercourse, morning erections, and stability of the erection during intercourse.  In women, in addition to anecdotal reports of increased sex drive, damiana helps reduce hot flashes.

Mood Booster   Feeling a bit off? Damiana tea is perfect for that. Thanks to compounds like apigenin, it can help calm your nerves and lift your spirits without making you feel drowsy. It’s like having a warm hug in a mug for those stressful days. The calming properties of damiana work by interacting with neurotransmitters in the brain, reducing feelings of anxiety and creating a sense of relaxation. Drinking it regularly may help support emotional resilience over time, making everyday stressors feel more manageable.

Damiana has been used to stimulate people with depression because it is a natural monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor. However, there is as yet no clinical research on its use in treating depression. It may also help to increase the appetite and to reduce. nervousness.

Digestion   After a heavy meal, damiana tea might be your best friend. It acts as a gentle laxative and helps with digestion, reducing bloating and discomfort. This tea stimulates digestive enzymes, improving nutrient absorption and helping your body break down fats and sugars more effectively. If you’ve ever wished for something soothing to settle your stomach post-meal, this could be it. Consuming damiana tea regularly may also help in maintaining a healthy digestive system by encouraging regular bowel movements and reducing occasional gastrointestinal discomfort.

Pain Relief   Dealing with a headache or some muscle soreness? Damiana tea could be a gentle way to help. Its anti-inflammatory properties ease discomfort without needing synthetic painkillers, making it a nice option for minor aches and pains. The compounds in damiana help block pain receptors and reduce inflammation, offering a holistic approach to managing discomfort. Whether it’s tension from a long day, menstrual cramps, or general aches, damiana’s natural pain-relieving effects provide soothing support you can rely on without unwanted side effects.

Brain Power   Damiana isn’t just good for your mood—it also benefits your brain. Rich in flavonoids, this tea promotes mental clarity and even helps spark neurogenesis (that’s the fancy term for developing new neurons). These flavonoids enhance communication between neurons, which can lead to better cognitive performance and improved memory. So, whether you’re studying for an exam, working on a complex project, or trying to stay sharp during a busy workday, damiana can be a surprising ally. Additionally, its adaptogenic properties help the brain manage stress more efficiently, keeping you focused even under pressure.

Menstrual Discomfort   Damiana’s antispasmodic properties make it great for relieving menstrual cramps. It works by relaxing the smooth muscles of the uterus, reducing painful contractions. Plus, it can help with those annoying symptoms like bloating and mood swings by regulating hormones and reducing inflammation. Picture sipping on a warm cup that’s not only comforting but also helping you get through the rough patches. Damiana’s gentle mood-enhancing qualities can also help stabilize emotions, making that time of the month feel a little less overwhelming.

Blood Sugar  For those concerned with blood sugar levels, damiana may help support healthy regulation of blood sugar levels. The tea contains compounds that improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin, allowing better glucose management. Just a note: if you’re on medication for blood sugar, chat with your doctor first. Damiana’s benefits here are promising but should always be approached with care. Including damiana tea as part of a balanced diet may also help reduce spikes in blood sugar levels after meals, offering a more gradual energy release throughout the day.

Antioxidants   Damiana is loaded with antioxidants that help combat oxidative stress—in other words, it keeps your cells happy. These antioxidants protect your body from damage caused by free radicals, which can lead to premature aging and a host of chronic conditions. This means more vitality, less wear-and-tear, and better overall resilience. Regularly consuming damiana tea can support skin health, boost energy, and help maintain the body’s natural defense mechanisms against environmental stressors, leaving you feeling more vibrant and youthful.

Respiratory   If you’re feeling congested, damiana tea acts as a natural expectorant. It helps clear up the airways and makes breathing easier, especially when you’re dealing with a mild cough or cold. Damiana has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce irritation in the respiratory tract, providing relief from congestion. By loosening mucus and helping the body expel it, damiana tea can be a comforting remedy for those times when your lungs need a little extra help. Sipping it warm can soothe your throat and help you feel more comfortable as you recover.

Immune System   Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, damiana tea can help strengthen your body’s natural defences. It contains compounds that support the immune system by reducing inflammation and fighting off harmful microbes. When cold season rolls around, this herb can offer some extra support to help keep you feeling well. Drinking damiana tea regularly may also help reduce the severity and duration of colds, making it a natural go-to for immune health. It’s a comforting way to give your body the added support it needs to fend off infections and stay balanced year-round.

Other Potential Effects   In Mexican herbalism, damiana has traditionally been utilized in many additional ways. For example, the plant has been used as a mood tonic, a diuretic, a treatment for ulcers, and to help fight respiratory infections. However, modern scientific studies in humans mostly aren’t available.

Also, scientists have explored the effects of damiana or specific damiana chemical components in various studies. Evidence has shown damiana may work as an antibacterial, have anti-cancer properties, balance high blood sugar, reduce anxiety, and provide pain relief. However, these studies have mostly not been done in humans.

It is well-established that damiana has high levels of antioxidants. These compounds help protect against disease by preventing oxidative stress. Theoretically, the antioxidant content in damiana might give the plant health-protective properties, but more study is needed.

Recommended Uses
Damiana is available as a tincture, in capsules, and dried for making teas or smoking. If damiana is taken in large doses, the tannins it contains can interfere with the absorption of iron from food or supplements, and also with the absorption of many common medications. This effect can be avoided by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice to the water in which the tincture is taken. It also can increase the effect of diuretics.

Damiana can lower blood sugar. People with type 1 diabetes should use this herb with caution. It may also cause low blood sugar if it is taken with sulfonylureas, which are used to treat diabetes. This class of drugs includes glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase, Micronase), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.

To use damiana, you consume its leaves. Damiana is used differently in men than women. It’s thought to increase sexual arousal and stamina in men. In women, it’s used to regulate menstruation and help with menopause symptoms. Traditionally, it’s been used for treating bladder and urinary issues. Some people like the way the herb makes them feel because of its effect on the bladder. These uses aren’t supported by contemporary research. When it comes to bladder relief and herbal remedies that you drink or swallow with water, it’s hard to tell whether an individual herb is helpful.

It’s possible that you feel better because taking in extra fluid tends to ease bladder pain. But if you think you have a urinary tract infection, there are a number of herbs that can help.

Botanical Name: Turnera diffusa
English: Damiana Aphrodisiaca, Damiana Herb, Damiana Leaf, Damiane

Also, known as: Feuille de Damiana, Feuille de Damiane, Herba de la Pastora, Houx Mexicain, Mexican
Damiana, Mizibcoc, Old Woman’s Broom, Oreganillo, Rosemary, Thé Bourrique, Turmera aphrodisiaca, Turnera diffusa, Turnera diffusa var. aphrodisiaca, Turmerae Diffusae Folium, Turmerae diffusae herba, Turnera microphyllia

Habitat: Mexico, South America, Texas, West Indies
Origin: Mexico
Harvested: Cultivated
Part used: Leaves

General Information:
Damiana is a small shrub; leaves smooth and pale green on upper side, underneath glabrous, with a few hairs on the ribs, ovo-lanceolate, shortly petiolate with two small glands at base; flowers yellow, rising singly from axils of the leaves. We can split into three pieces, smell aromatic; taste characteristic, bitter, aromatic, and resinous. Damiana is mainly indigenous to Texas, and found in lower California (Mexico), South America and West Indies. The small, yellow-flowered shrub has long, broad, obovate, light-green leaves, with few hairs on the rib; frequented by reddish twigs. The plant has an aromatic odor and contains a volatile oil.

Tal Damiana, scientifically known as Turnera diffusa or Turnera aphrodisiaca, is a medicinal plant made from the leaves of a wild shrub. It grows in arid regions of the United States, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean islands.1  Dávila-Rangel IE, Charles-Rodríguez AV, López-Romero JC, Flores-López ML. Plants from arid and semi-arid zones of Mexico used to treat respiratory diseases: A review.

Herbalists have used damiana for hundreds of years, and it was a significant medicinal plant in ancient Mayan culture. Damiana is still sometimes included as a flavoring ingredient in Mexican liquors.2  Damiana naturally contains many different chemical substances that scientists have investigated for various therapeutic effects, but its most established use is as an aphrodisiac.3  There is little scientific research on the health effects of damiana, but some studies point to its benefits, and traditional Mexican herbalism recognizes many potential positive qualities.

 

How To Use:
Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.

Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful. Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. This method is also known as electuaries.

For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.

To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. SO you make once /week and just eat each other day.

Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup of teapot Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.

Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.

Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.

Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.

Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.

Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

How Much To Use
It is common that 10g of a fresh herb = 1g when dehydrated.
Recommended daily amount: up to 2-4 g of dried damiana leaves, as many as 3 times/day.