Sexual Wellness In Chinese Medicine: It’s All In Your Kidneys
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Out of all the things that make us feel alive and relish the human experience, from eating tasty food to laughing with friends and family, to holding the miracle that is a newborn baby, right at the top of the list is sexuality.
On an obvious, primordial level, sexual arousal is the the biological trick for why we’re here. But on a more spiritual level, to live your life to the fullest and feel completely alive, sexuality is a gift.
However, due to chronic stress, including being overworked and burdened with finances, many of us have completely lost the desire to experience the joy of sexuality.
Recharging Sexual Batteries: The Western Approach
In western medicine, pharmaceuticals are used to treat sexual disorders, mainly in men. “Little blue pills” treat erectile dysfunction (ED). And they do it well; they take little time to work. However, ED medications do not build overall health, nor do they address the root cause of sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, ED medicine may solve the problem of impotence but does not also solve the lack of desire. It’s no use having a gun if you have no desire to fire one.
As for female sexuality, western medicine has no miracle little blue pill equivalent; currently, there is no FDA-approved drug for female libido enhancement. Rather, for females, hormone replacement therapy or estrogen skin creams or patches are used for painful sex caused by vaginal dryness. But these solutions also don’t address the problem of low or non-existant desire.
And for men and women, medications sometimes cause negative side effects.
Better Kidneys, Better Sex
Let’s get something out of the way right off the bat when it comes to enhancing sexual desire using Chinese medicine: it’s not going to work overnight.
Therefore, if you’re in desperate need for a quick-fix solution, herbal remedies might not be for you.
However, if you’re willing to give it time–perhaps up to a few months is how long it will take to notice positive results–your overall wellness may increase. Consequently, both your libido and sexual performance may benefit.
Now, before reviewing the best TCM formulas for sexual wellness, though, it’s important to have a basic understanding of healthy sexuality through a TCM lens.
And the foundation of sexual wellness in TCM is not in the genitals or hormones, but in an organ you might not expect: Kidneys.
From a western perspective, the kidneys are a filtration and waste-removal organ. But the Kidney organ system, in TCM theory, is like the control center of your Yin-Yang equilibrium system, including the seat of sexuality and desire.
If your Kidney organ system is even in the slightest bit off-kilter, your overall energy levels and other organ systems will malfunction as well.
In light of this, for sexual performance and desire, you have to nourish your Kidneys.
(see: Best TCM Formulas for Sexual Wellness, below.)
Kidneys, according to TCM theory, are the origin of life. All the Yin and Yang energy you inherited are stored here.
Root Causes of Sexual Dysfunction In Women
Even if your children are grown and you have no intention of having another child, sexual desire is still governed by the seat of reproductive energy: the Kidney organ system. If your libido is lacking, it’s usually an indication of deficient Kidney Qi as well as Blood deficiency in the Heart organ system. (The emotion of “joy”, in TCM theory, is associated with the Heart.)
For some women, the desire to have sex (the libido) is there, but the physical stimuli (arousal) is missing. This, too, is symptomatic of weak Kidney Qi, but more specifically, weak Kidney Yin, which is also characteristic of vaginal dryness, as Yin, in general, supplies the body with lubrication.
If desire and arousal aren’t the problem but having an orgasm is, it could be indicative of stagnant Qi of the Liver organ system, which flows through the genital area.
And finally, as mentioned, Yin energy supplies the body with lubrication. Painful intercourse due to vaginal dryness, can be due to Kidney Yin deficiency, as well as Blood stagnation.
Symptoms of Kidney Qi Deficiency
Without doubt, most problems with sexual desire and performance have at their root cause Kidney Qi deficiency. But how can you tell whether you have Kidney Yin or Yang deficiency?
Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang perpetually influence each other. Many TCM formulas for sexual wellness that tonify Kidney Yin will also support Yang, and vice versa.
However, there are some tell-tale signs that differentiate the two.
Kidney Yin deficiency symptoms include: soreness and weakness of the lumbar region and knees; dizziness; ringing in the ears and hearing problems; a dry mouth and throat; a hot sensation in the palms, soles and chest; spontaneous sweating; constipation; and seminal emission.
As for Kidney Yang deficiency, the pattern includes cold limbs; aversion to cold; difficulty urinating; incontinence; pale complexion; and edema.
Supporting Sexual Wellness: Best TCM Formulas
YinVive is our most popular formula for supporting the libido.
For maximum Kidney Yin support, there’s YinVive Plus, Both men and women may benefit from YinVive Plus.
YanVive can be used if you have Kidney Yang deficiency symptoms such as the ones noted above. If you feel generally unwell but your doctor can’t help you pinpoint the precise diagnosis, this may, too, be a sign of Yang deficiency, which commonly affects people who spend hours in front of a computer each day. If you experience reduced firmness in erections or your sexual performance has declined, YanVive may help. It may also be beneficial if you experience soreness in the groin area within 24 hours after sex, or are unable to achieve a follow-up erection.
Medications like Viagra don’t balance Kidney Yin and Yang. This could be one reason why this medication may result in side effects like headache, back pain and muscle pain, etc. Our formula Youngain is a safe male-performance herbal remedy. To be clear, it works nothing like Viagra. Not only is it a potent Yang tonic, but it also supports Yin energy for overall wellness.
For a complete list of our formulas for sexual wellness, please click here.
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