Libido Support Strips and Female Enhancement: Shellfish, PKU, and Honest Expectations

Two more products in this category, with the things worth knowing first.

Libido Support Strips — $37.90, 30 strips

Chocolate-flavoured oral strips, one per day maximum, dissolved on the tongue.

They contain shellfish — and the label says so

Contains: Shellfish (oyster peptide). Properly declared, which is how it should be done. If you have a shellfish allergy, do not use these.

What is in each strip

• Cordyceps militaris: 50 mg
• Asphaltum Punjabianum (Shilajit): 50 mg
• Oyster Peptide: 20 mg

Plus pullulan, cellulose, monk fruit extract, lecithin, chocolate flavour, erythritol, sorbitol, pectin and steviol glycosides.

Three actives totalling 120 mg. That is a modest amount, and we would rather you knew the scale than assumed otherwise. For comparison, our Shilajit Adaptogen Complex contains 400 mg of shilajit extract per capsule — eight times as much — so if shilajit is what you want, the strips are not the efficient route.

The same heavy-metal sourcing question applies to shilajit here as it does there. See that article for why it is a fair thing to ask about.

Note: erythritol and sorbitol are sugar alcohols. In a single small strip the amounts are tiny, but if you are sensitive to them they are present.

Female Enhancement — $29.90, 60 capsules

A 23-ingredient botanical and vitamin formula.

It contains L-phenylalanine — relevant if you have PKU

People with phenylketonuria (PKU) must restrict phenylalanine. It is in this formula. The same applies to our Fat Burner with MCT.

The other things to check

The formula includes Ashwagandha, Asian Ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, Tribulus, Damiana, Dong Quai, Epimedium, Catuaba, Maca, Muira Puama, Ginger, Asparagus extract, Chinese Smilax, L-Arginine, Zinc, BioPerine® and several B vitamins.

• Ashwagandha — thyroid, pregnancy and liver considerations. See the full article. This is now the fourth product in our range containing it.
• Ginkgo biloba and ginseng — both worth raising if you take blood thinners or diabetes medication. See our ginkgo and ginseng article.
• Dong quai — effects on bleeding; ask your doctor if you take warfarin.
• L-arginine — ask about it if you take nitrates or erectile dysfunction medication.
• No individual amounts are disclosed for any of the botanicals.

Note on the "allergen-free" badge: badges describe declared major allergens. They do not mean a product is free of ingredients that can cause reactions — 23 botanicals is a lot of plant material, and botanical sensitivities are real. Read the list.

The dosing instruction worth reading

From our label: "Use this product for no less than 8 weeks for maximum results. Do not exceed 4 capsules daily."

Standard serving is two capsules daily. The eight-week framing means this is not something you take and assess after a week — and it also means a $29.90 bottle is a 30-day commitment to a two-month trial. Worth knowing before you buy one bottle and expect an answer.

What neither product does

Being direct, because this category attracts more overselling than any other:

Neither treats low libido, sexual dysfunction, hormonal conditions, infertility, or anything else medical. The labels support energy, stamina and general wellness, and that is all.

Changes in libido genuinely often have identifiable causes — medication side effects (antidepressants and blood pressure drugs are common culprits), thyroid problems, depression, stress, sleep deprivation, relationship factors, menopause, low testosterone. Most of those are addressable, and a doctor can tell which applies. A supplement cannot.

Both products

One strip or two capsules per day as directed; do not exceed the dose. Not for anyone pregnant, nursing, under 18, or with a known medical condition without consulting a physician. Keep out of reach of children; store cool and dry.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. All amounts quoted are taken from the product labels. This article is general information, not medical advice.