Not-so-happy Valentine: these 4 aphrodisiac products could mean your death
It’s Valentine’s Day, which means (hopefully) romance all around. Maybe you have an incredibly sexy evening planned. In that case, don’t even think about using the remedies below to spice things up. Suddenly, the fairy tale The Sleeping Beauty comes very much to life—and believe me, a kiss from a handsome prince won’t help then.
The 4 remedies described below are aphrodisiacs. These are products (often of plant, animal or mineral origin) that are supposed to stimulate sexual desire. In other words, they are intended to increase lust. Not all aphrodisiacs are dangerous. Saffron and fenugreek, for example, are considered harmless aphrodisiacs. So is coffee. The aphrodisiacs below are dangerous—especially in large quantities. So dangerous, in fact, that they can result in death.
Yohimbine
Yohimbine is the active substance in yohimbe, the dried bark of the Pausinyatalia yohimbe tree. It mainly grows in Nigeria and Congo. Yohimbine is a vasodilator. When men take it, more blood flows to the penis, allowing them to get an erection quickly and easily. Men with erectile problems may therefore see yohimbine as the solution.
But be warned: taking yohimbine carries many risks. Side effects include heart problems and lowered blood pressure. And never take it with red wine, chocolate, bananas, coffee, aged cheese, sour dairy products or non-fresh fish and meat products. Nor should you combine it with drugs. Doing so puts you at risk of, among other things, severe chest pain. Take far too much? Then there’s a good chance you’ll become poisoned—and an overdose could lead to death. All these risks mean that products containing yohimbine have not been allowed to be sold in smart shops since 2007. In the Netherlands, you can no longer get it as a medicine anywhere either. Perhaps that’s for the best.
Spanish fly
Spanish fly is an aphrodisiac for both men and women. It consists of dried and ground Cantharis Vesicatoria, also known as Spanish fly. You dissolve the substance in water and then drink it. Anyone who takes it while already in the mood for sex becomes aroused. If you’re not even a little bit tingly before taking it, you can drink until you weigh a hundredweight, but nothing will happen.
Drinking until you weigh a hundredweight is in any case very unwise here. If you take too high a dose of Spanish fly, you can develop serious stomach and kidney problems. These can even lead to death. Yikes. Another extremely unfortunate side effect of too much Spanish fly is the risk of priapism. That’s an incredibly painful erection that can damage the penis. You wouldn’t wish that on anyone, right?
Mad honey
Mad honey is made from rhododendron flowers that contain grayanotoxins. Grayanotoxins are chemical, mildly toxic substances that work like a drug. They can increase your desire for sex. Mad honey is incredibly potent; it can cause hallucinations. Other (milder) side effects include dizziness, nausea, lowered blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, headaches and sweating attacks.
Because of its strong side effects, the advice is not to take more than 3 teaspoons at a time. That advice is not easy for all mad honey users to follow. Some find the high it gives them so enjoyable that they quickly want more and more. That’s not very sensible. The more you take, the more numerous and severe the side effects become. An overdose can make you seriously ill—sometimes resulting in death. Better stick to ordinary honey.
Bufo toad
Do you know the fairy tale of the frog prince? The princess kisses the frog, which then turns into the prince of her dreams. They live happily ever after. Do you also want to live happily ever after and think kissing a frog will help? In any case, don’t try it with the Bufo toad. This species of toad secretes bufotenine: a poisonous substance.
The Colorado River toad in particular is full of bufotenine. Toad venom poisoning is rare, but it does occur—especially when someone deliberately consumes too much of this substance. Several commercial products containing bufotenine have already been brought to market, including the Love Stone. As you may have guessed from the name, it’s an aphrodisiac. Taking too much can be fatal. No happy ending then.
Better safe than sorry
Fortunately, things don’t have to end so badly for you, even if you could use a little help with improving your sex life. There are plenty of aphrodisiac dishes you can eat that are completely safe. And if you want a little romance along with sex, we have plenty of romantic tips for the best Valentine’s food gifts. That’s how you really score points.
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