Avena Sativa which is commonly knows as oat, is a cereal grain grown for its seeds. They are eaten both by humans and livestock. Humans consume oats in form of oatmeal or rolled oats where as livestock like horses, cattle and chicken eat it in its natural form. Oats where first consumed domestically in the bronze age of Europe. Oats can be consumed in a number of different forms. It can be grounded to make oat flour or it can be crushed to make oatmeal. A lot of people around the world eat oats as porridge. But a lot of bakery goods are produced with the help of oats. Oatmeal cookies, oat bread are just a few of them. Oats are not just used for eating purposes. They are used o make drinks as well. Countries around the world use oats to make different kinds of drinks. The most famous of them is the beer produced in Britain.

Damiana is a shrub belonging to the family of Turneraceae. Even though it is a small shrub, it produces aromatic, small flowers. It is generally found in the regions of South America, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. It is also a fruit bearing shrub. The flowers generally blossom in late summer on the damiana shrub. Then the fruits follow. The fruit it bears is quite similar in taste to figs. It emits a smell which is quite similar to the odor of chamomile. The oils present in the shrub are reason behind this odor. It is said to have aphrodisiac properties. Natives of south and Central America use the leaves to make tea. In Mexico, the tea made with damiana leaves is generally drunk with sugar so as to increase the love making ability.

Epimedium, also popularly known as horny goat weed is a genus of herbaceous perennials belonging to the family Berberidaceae. The plant is found to possess aphrodisiac properties. Legend has it that a Chinese goat herder observed and reported increased sexual activity in his heard after it consumed the plant, hence the name. Its active ingredient is icariin. This ingredient has been reported to have a number of effects on the body. It inhibits the degradation of cyclic guanosine mono phosphate cGMP by PDE5 in the blood vessels supplying the corpus cavernosum of the penis. cGMP is the activated form of GMP produced by the release of nitric oxide in the vessels and relaxes the smooth muscle tissue resulting in the improvement in blood flow and erection. It also acts to increase mental faculties.

Fenugreek is an herb and a spice, whereby the leaves are used as an herb and the seed as spice. Historically the use of fenugreek can be traced back to 4000 BC in Iraq, Bronze Age Kingdom of Judah, and was found in desiccated form in the tomb of Tutankhamen. The use is very widespread, from being a common ingredient in curry, to the inexpensive use as a maple syrup surrogate product ingredient in the United States, this herb and spice has found its way into many cuisines all over the world. Fenugreek seeds were used in the traditional Chinese medicine bearing the name Hu Lu Ba. They contain considerable amounts of the polysaccharide galactomannan, but also diosgenin, yamogenin, togogenin, neotigogens and gitogenin. Further components are volatile oils, mucilage and alkaloids, including trigonelline and choline.

Ginkgo Biloba, actually ginkgo biloba, is a unique species of a tree, is also deemed a living fossil, because it is deemed an ancient genus. All other genera are extinct, but in China it has been cultivate for centuries, so this species survived. While it was believed that no ginkgo plants were present in the wild, some areas in eastern China have been recently discovered. Ginkgo biloba extract is usually derived from the leaves and the inner seed of the fruit. It is due to certain flavonoid glycosides and terpenoids that certain nootropic properties have been observed, leading to clinical trials in treatments of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In body building circles, this extract is being used as concentration and memory enhancer, increasing blood flow with antioxidant properties as an additional bonus.

L-Arginine HCL is an amino acid that builds up protein. This essential amino acid has many health benefits when consumed in doses larger than those acquired normally from diet. Average daily dietary intake of arginine is 5.4 grams that just fulfils minimal requirements of body for tissue repair, immune cell maintenance, and protein synthesis. L-Arginine is needed in the body to synthesize nitric oxide. There are many health benefits linked with proper nitric oxide metabolism. Nitric oxide also regulates blood flow. It enables arterial system to retain its youthful elasticity that may treat hypertension. Research shows that L-Arginine supports natural human growth hormone release from pituitary gland. It also supports muscle mass and can reduce body fat.

Macuna Pruriens is a flowering plant in the legume family, genus mucuna and the family Fabaceae, sub family Phaseoleae. It is a climbing plant, a shrub with over fifteen meter extending vines, which has a long lasting history of being used as an aphrodisiac. It is actually containing a lot of levodopa, which is a precursor of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. The levodopa is also used for centuries in traditional medicines, such as Ayurveda, for combating Parkinson’s disease. Some parts of the plant contain 5-hydroxytryptamine, also known as serotonin. These hairy parts have commonly been used to produce itching powder. Seeds are believed to have certain antidepressant qualities, when ingested; furthermore, it contains other ingredients, such as nicotine, 5-HTP, dimethyltryptamine – DMT, and bufotenine, which can induce psychedelic reactions.

Magnesium is a mineral that may be found inside most of the cells in the body tissues and organs. It is important in the absorption of calcium and aids in the formation and development of bones and teeth. Magnesium deficient individuals have an increased risk of acquiring osteoporosis; they also have problematic menstrual cycle such as premenstrual syndrome, irregular cycle and dysmenorrhoea. Magnesium helps in maintaining the cardiovascular health and decreases the risk of heart problems. It also prevents gallstones from forming. Magnesium is useful in the treatment of high blood pressure. It is also helpful in treating erectile dysfunction and prostate problems.

Saw Palmetto - The ripe fruit of saw palmetto (botanical name: Serenoa repens) is an important member of the herb kingdom. The Seminole tribe of Florida used it to treat various health conditions, but today it is used mainly for treating urinary symptoms related to an enlarged prostate gland, also called as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. Other conditions that can be effectively treated using saw palmetto include: bladder disorders hair loss decreased sex drive chronic pelvic pain hormone imbalances The fresh ripe fruit as well as the dried one is used to make various medicinal preparations that are available in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid extract, infusion, and even tea. Saw plametto may sometimes cause stomach discomfort and some men have experienced side effects like tender breasts and a decline in sexual desire after using it.

Selenium is considered good for health if taken in small amounts. It is a trace mineral which when incorporated into protein, makes selenoproteins that helps stop cellular damage due to free radicals. The major source of selenium is plant foods and its content in the food depends on the selenium content in the soil where it was grown. Also known as selenium acid, selenium sulfide and selenium yeast, this mineral is available in seafood and meat products. The main function of selenium is to work with vitamin E in order to maintain the elasticity and preservation of tissues. It not only helps in improving the supply of oxygen and blood to the muscles in the heart but also slows down the aging process by enhancing endurance.

Tongkat Ali Root is a plant in the family Simaroubaceae and genus Eurycoma, native to Indonesia and Malaysia. It was used in folk medicine for its antimalarial, antipyretic, antiulcer, cytotoxic and aphrodisiac properties. Tongkat ali is used in supplements for bodybuilders because research claims that it can increase testosterone level but most of the research was conducted on rats and further scientific evidence is needed to confirm its effect on testosterone levels in humans. Some studies also show that it induces apoptosis in breast-cancer cells and is cytotoxic to lung-cancer cells.

Tribulus Terrestris, commonly known as Puncture Vine, has been frequently used in India and China for its medicinal properties. The plant is used mainly in overcoming problems with infertility, erectile dysfunction and to improve libido. In recent times, however, it is being used by athletes to enhance performance. Research carried out on samples suggests that the levels of testosterone and estrogen are increased by its use. The fruit of the plant has also been used as a diuretic and a urinary antiseptic. Other than this, it is also used to treat headaches and problems of the eyes, such as conjunctivitis and weak eyesight. It has been used traditionally to treat people with gout problems. The use of Tribulus Terrestris has shown no adverse side effects.

Zinc is acknowledged as essential to the human organism. It is a trace element found in over a hundred and up to three hundred enzymes. It is the second most important mineral in the body, after iron. Zinc is also defined as an important catalytic agent, which is active in enzymatic reactions such as hydroxilation, which is essential for the protein forming amino acid proline, but also for hypoxia response. Zinc is naturally found in red meat, milk, spinach, nuts, oysters, beans and oats. Low zinc counts can attribute to a weakened immune system, interfere with muscle building, cause diarrhea and all kind of other deficiencies. In body building circles, Zinc is an important supplement, valued for the indirect increment of testosterone and the muscle building role.