Safe OTC anaphrodisiacs?
February 10, 2007 2:23 PM Subscribe
Are there any entirely safe, over-the-counter anaphrodisiacs that are ingestible substances, not behavioral things such masturbation or exercise? (In other words, prevention of desire, not relief of desire.) Saltpeter's a myth. Yeah, just answer the question, please.
(YMMV with SSRIs, though — some people get reduced desire, others just seem to get anorgasmia.)
posted by nebulawindphone at 2:07 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by nebulawindphone at 2:07 PM on February 10, 2007
I've heard that monks used to grow Marjoram to help reduce sexual desire. It's available as an essential oil, but I have no idea how the monks used it. Perhaps as a tea?
It will also cause drowsiness.
posted by Solomon at 2:13 PM on February 10, 2007
It will also cause drowsiness.
posted by Solomon at 2:13 PM on February 10, 2007
If this existed, we'd all know about it already. It would be hugely popular. I'd have been taking it myself since I was 15.
posted by bingo at 2:13 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by bingo at 2:13 PM on February 10, 2007
SSRIs definitely.
posted by nj_subgenius at 2:39 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by nj_subgenius at 2:39 PM on February 10, 2007
To extrapolate from what some others have said, perhaps look into nutritional supplements that aid in the production of serotonin, e.g. 5-HTP?
posted by clockzero at 2:50 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by clockzero at 2:50 PM on February 10, 2007
I remember hearing about bromide being given secretly to soldiers to reduce thier sex drive (and this the chances of catching a STD), but it look like it's a myth.
posted by bluefrog at 2:53 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by bluefrog at 2:53 PM on February 10, 2007
SSRIs don't reduce libido in everyone in a reliable manner though. Plus, I wouldn't think they'd be "safe" as anaphrodisiacs. The person taking them / being slipped them would have unexplained mood changes, or possible suicidal ideation completely out of the blue.
And they aren't OTC, so the point's moot.
posted by CKmtl at 2:54 PM on February 10, 2007
And they aren't OTC, so the point's moot.
posted by CKmtl at 2:54 PM on February 10, 2007
I don't think you are going to find the magic bullet here --- a lot of people thinkers have looked for this for a long time, and never really succeeded (think here of Graham crackers). Social repression and sublimation are probably much more successful strategies, honestly. It also matters whether Anon is male or female, which isn't real clear to me from the question.
SSRIs (and birth control pills) only sometimes act as anaphrodisiacs, so don't count on that effect.
Male long-term alcoholics I've known, real heavy drinkers, can have deeply reduced sex drives, but that isn't a real healthy way to do it.
Some states give a few high-risk convicted male sex offenders "chemical castration" (wikipedia) , which includes pretty mainstream drugs like Depo Provera. Not quite over the counter, but maybe within the realm of what you could work out a deal with a sympathetic doctor? But this will probably stop a man from having an erection, rather than preventing sexual thoughts or desires; and doesn't seem to be used for women.
That wikipedia link includes a mention of chrysin as something that blocks aromatase enzymes. Bodybuilders are really into it (here is the first link Google produces of a bodybuilding site selling the stuff), but I don't know how much you have to eat to stop your sex drive. Nor is it clear (from my very very cursory read of this stuff) whether it supposedly works for women. And, to make it even more complicated, chrysin is included in purportedly "aphrodesiac" herbal supplements, so taking it could be pretty counterproductive for Anon, assuming that it worked at all.
posted by Forktine at 3:21 PM on February 10, 2007
SSRIs (and birth control pills) only sometimes act as anaphrodisiacs, so don't count on that effect.
Male long-term alcoholics I've known, real heavy drinkers, can have deeply reduced sex drives, but that isn't a real healthy way to do it.
Some states give a few high-risk convicted male sex offenders "chemical castration" (wikipedia) , which includes pretty mainstream drugs like Depo Provera. Not quite over the counter, but maybe within the realm of what you could work out a deal with a sympathetic doctor? But this will probably stop a man from having an erection, rather than preventing sexual thoughts or desires; and doesn't seem to be used for women.
That wikipedia link includes a mention of chrysin as something that blocks aromatase enzymes. Bodybuilders are really into it (here is the first link Google produces of a bodybuilding site selling the stuff), but I don't know how much you have to eat to stop your sex drive. Nor is it clear (from my very very cursory read of this stuff) whether it supposedly works for women. And, to make it even more complicated, chrysin is included in purportedly "aphrodesiac" herbal supplements, so taking it could be pretty counterproductive for Anon, assuming that it worked at all.
posted by Forktine at 3:21 PM on February 10, 2007
people thinkers
Yep, I'm a people thinker all right.
posted by Forktine at 3:54 PM on February 10, 2007
Yep, I'm a people thinker all right.
posted by Forktine at 3:54 PM on February 10, 2007
There are no OTC anaphrodisiacs I know of. There are many things one could do to reduce libido, but they are all very unhealthy choices (become obese, ingest heavy metals, etc.). Funny how nobody ever talks about this as a problem, but I can see it being very frustrating for a couple with incompatible libidos. You could look into herbal anti-androgens, I would really suggest getting your doctor to run a hormone panel and prescribe hormone blockers, if needed, before you start experimenting. You could always go for an orchiectomy or oophorectomy/hysterectomy!
posted by chudder at 4:56 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by chudder at 4:56 PM on February 10, 2007
Zoloft is the best SSRI for this.. buy it online easy enough, just don't take any heroin/morphine based products with it.. thats how anna nicole smiths son died.
posted by complience at 5:00 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by complience at 5:00 PM on February 10, 2007
The post just above, at 5:00 PM, is advocating that you break the law. Buying Zoloft through the internet is not only really stupid, it's also against the law if you don't have a prescription for it. (And even if something gets shipped to you, it probably won't be what you think it is.)
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 5:02 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 5:02 PM on February 10, 2007
wow this site is fantastic. the two above posts reflect how good it is, the varying opinions even coming from either side of the law! awesome.
posted by edtut at 5:35 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by edtut at 5:35 PM on February 10, 2007
I will. Scdb, you give good answers when you're in your field and truly shit ones the rest of the time. Reign it in. You don't know where anon is from, and you've no idea about ordering drugs online.
anon: i've known a couple of people on ssris who ended up with slightly reduced desire but also anorgasmic. Not a great place. It might be worth asking a question on how to deal with whatever problem the excess of desire hr creating.
posted by bonaldi at 6:33 PM on February 10, 2007
anon: i've known a couple of people on ssris who ended up with slightly reduced desire but also anorgasmic. Not a great place. It might be worth asking a question on how to deal with whatever problem the excess of desire hr creating.
posted by bonaldi at 6:33 PM on February 10, 2007
Be careful with the SSRIs...they've always had the exact opposite effect on me (Zoloft esp.)!
posted by messylissa at 8:31 PM on February 10, 2007
posted by messylissa at 8:31 PM on February 10, 2007
Steven C. Den Beste: "The post just above, at 5:00 PM, is advocating that you break the law. Buying Zoloft through the internet is not only really stupid, it's also against the law if you don't have a prescription for it. (And even if something gets shipped to you, it probably won't be what you think it is.)"
US law doesn't apply worldwide. We don't know where anonymous is or what the laws there are like.
posted by loiseau at 8:47 PM on February 10, 2007
US law doesn't apply worldwide. We don't know where anonymous is or what the laws there are like.
posted by loiseau at 8:47 PM on February 10, 2007
Just in regards to the online pharmaceutical issue, there are legitimate online pharmacies where you can get Rx medications. From what I understand of them, you generally have a very cursory chat with an MD, where they basically run through the criteria for prescribing the drug you want, and assuming you don't have any gross contraindications, they prescribe it and the pharmacy fills it.
Of course, I'm not saying it's a good idea. You're basically trusting the word of some "doctor" that you've never met, and then trusting the "pharmacy" that fills their "prescription" to give you real drugs instead of sugar pills.
That said, I've known people who've bought ED meds online and they've seemed satisfied. The main objections are that the online pharmacies don't accept insurance and charge rather steeply.
It's not necessarily illegal.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:00 PM on February 10, 2007
Of course, I'm not saying it's a good idea. You're basically trusting the word of some "doctor" that you've never met, and then trusting the "pharmacy" that fills their "prescription" to give you real drugs instead of sugar pills.
That said, I've known people who've bought ED meds online and they've seemed satisfied. The main objections are that the online pharmacies don't accept insurance and charge rather steeply.
It's not necessarily illegal.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:00 PM on February 10, 2007
There is nothing that's going to work. For heaven's sake don't take and SSRI just to try to kill your libido. That is beyond stupid. You're just going to have to learn to deal with it. Believe me, I sympathize - I've wished it had an off switch many, many times.
posted by nanojath at 12:04 AM on February 11, 2007
posted by nanojath at 12:04 AM on February 11, 2007
To the best of my knowledge there are no safe over-the-counter anaphrodisiacs. And there really aren't that many options at all when it comes to prescription or unsafe anaphrodisiacs.
posted by jefeweiss at 8:37 AM on February 11, 2007
posted by jefeweiss at 8:37 AM on February 11, 2007
prescription - some birth control pills contain cyproterone acetate, a testosterone blocker. From wikipedia - "Its main indications are prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, priapism, hypersexuality and other conditions in which androgen action maintains the disease process." (e.g. acne)
posted by niloticus at 2:05 PM on February 11, 2007
posted by niloticus at 2:05 PM on February 11, 2007
I checked with some herbalist folks and got the following suggestions:
"a tincture of Vitex agnus castus"
or
"willow catkins. The white fluffy thingies" from "fresh black willow."
I'm afraid I don't have more detailed info regarding sources for the plants or dosages or anything like that. My advice is, if these suggestions sound at all promising, to google the heck out of them and see what comes up.
And if I were shopping for such substances, I'd consult this list of "wildcrafters, growers, and medicine makers."
posted by Clay201 at 1:28 AM on February 12, 2007
"a tincture of Vitex agnus castus"
or
"willow catkins. The white fluffy thingies" from "fresh black willow."
I'm afraid I don't have more detailed info regarding sources for the plants or dosages or anything like that. My advice is, if these suggestions sound at all promising, to google the heck out of them and see what comes up.
And if I were shopping for such substances, I'd consult this list of "wildcrafters, growers, and medicine makers."
posted by Clay201 at 1:28 AM on February 12, 2007
Spearmint tea
("...previous reports that extracts of the spearmint plant (Mentha spicata Labiatae) could reduce libido in men...")
posted by niloticus at 11:58 AM on February 22, 2007
("...previous reports that extracts of the spearmint plant (Mentha spicata Labiatae) could reduce libido in men...")
posted by niloticus at 11:58 AM on February 22, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
Prescription - SSRIs are well known for this.
posted by caddis at 1:45 PM on February 10, 2007