If you’re from the West, chances are you’ve never encountered black ginger extract before. If, however, you’re from the East, and in particular Thailand, the legendary reputation of this spice precedes itself. Also known as kaempferia parviflora, black ginger is touted for its effects on male sexuality; increasing libido, endurance, and of course, sexual prowess.
If you’re from the West, chances are you’ve never encountered black ginger extract before. If, however, you’re from the East, and in particular Thailand, the legendary reputation of this spice precedes itself. Also known as kaempferia parviflora, black ginger is touted for its effects on male sexuality; increasing libido, endurance, and of course, sexual prowess.
How Does Black Ginger Work?
If you’ve ever researched or used Viagra before you would have discovered that it works via a mechanism known as phosphodiesterase inhibition. Phosphodiesterase (PDE), and in particular phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) is an enzyme which cleaves a bond in the compound cAMP, known to mediate vasodilation in blood vessels via nitric oxide synthesis.
Upon breakage of these bonds, the compound loses its action and vasodilation subsides. By inhibiting the cleaving of these bonds, the compound persists longer in blood and is able to exert effects.
Most notably is the dilation of the cavernosal artery found in the penis, translating to much firmer and longer lasting erections. Black ginger extract works via this same mechanism—PDE-5 inhibition.1
However, it is important to set realistic expectations when using black ginger as a pro-erectile supplement, as it is not as potent as the synthetic PDE-5 inhibitors.
Pharmaceuticals such as Viagra and Cialis are much stronger inhibitors, but are also more likely to cause undesirable effects, ranging from severe headaches (migraines are believed to be caused by dilation of blood vessels under the scalp), nasal congestion, dizziness, and priapism (a never-ending erection that you absolutely do not want to experience).
You may be wondering, is there any other reason black ginger trumps Viagra as a better option for treatment of ED?
In addition to its PDE-5 inhibiting effects, black ginger also acts on the dopaminergic system, boosting levels of this neurotransmitter2 (by inhibiting its breakdown) which plays an important role in normal sexual function.
In persons who exhibit reduced dopamine sensitivity or levels, sexual dysfunction is very common and will not be fixed by use of mere vasodilators.
Its ability to increase dopamine levels also improves your mood in the process and can help combat depressive illness. In this sense, black ginger is considered superior to pharmaceuticals such as Viagra since it tackles both the issue of diminished penile blood flow and your arousal to sexual stimulus thanks to upregulation of dopamine receptors.
But wait there’s even more.
In addition to its amazing effects on your erectile health and sexual well-being, black ginger extract also possesses several other functions that you are likely to benefit from whether you are a man or woman. These include those from the impressive list below:
- Decreases the period of erectile latency (in simple terms, the time it takes for you to attain an erection after exposed to sexual stimuli).
- Said to increase both length and girth of the flaccid penis.
- May promote lifespan via activation of sirtuin 1 gene.3
- Improves symptoms of BPH; an enlarged/enlarging prostate.4
- Improves brain function and possesses anticholinesterase activity (which may offset Alzheimer’s and dementia).
Using Black Ginger In Poor Health
In general, using anything that affects the function of the heart (via vasodilation, or blood flow alterations) is not ideal if you are in sub-par health. While the heart is an extremely resilient organ, there is just so much it can take.
But black ginger should not be scratched off your list of promising supplements just because of a little extra fat. Why? It has the ability to increase caloric expenditure.
Unknown to many is the fact that a higher metabolic rate does not just increase the rate of calorie burning, but also boosts recovery, your resistance to stress along with improved sleep patterns, and energy production.
Black ginger is able to boost energy production via stimulation of AMPK (or AMP-activated protein kinase). This is an enzyme which increases the rate of calorie burning in the mitochondria of muscle cells, resulting in greater energy production.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that black ginger activates brown adipose tissue (BAT) which is a good type of body fat that possesses thermogenic properties and is frequently found in the mitochondria itself.5
How To Use Black Ginger For Best Results
Of note is the fact that there is little to no evidence of adverse effects experienced while using black ginger, as it has been recommended by the Thai Traditional Medicine Institute as a safe supplement with centuries of proven use behind it.
A dose of between 1000 to 1500mg daily is normal, with 1200mg being the average dose. It does not adversely affect blood pressure, nor does it affect hormonal balance, making it safe for use while on hormone replacement therapy. The only time black ginger should not be used is if you suffer from pre-existing arrhythmias as it may exacerbate the condition even more.
When you look at black ginger from an overall perspective, you can see that it is much more than a one-hit wonder in terms of boosting sexual prowess. It is something that also works to address issues of sexual sensitivity dysfunction and boosts your energy levels in the process.
References:
1. Efficacy Assessment of Kaempferia parviflora for the Management of Erectile Dysfunction [OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences, 2012].
2. Kaempferia parviflora rhizome extract and Myristica fragrans volatile oil increase the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and impact the proteomic profiles in the rat hippocampus: Mechanistic insights into their neuroprotective effects [Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine.2017].
3. Standardized Kaempferia parviflora Extract Inhibits Intrinsic Aging Process in Human Dermal Fibroblasts and Hairless Mice by Inhibiting Cellular Senescence and Mitochondrial Dysfunction [Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2017] PubMed-NCBI.
4. Suppression of benign prostate hyperplasia by Kaempferia parviflora rhizome [Pharmacognosy Res. 2013] PubMed-NCBI.
5. Kaempferia parviflora extract increases energy consumption through activation of BAT in mice [Food Sci Nutr. 2014] PubMed-NCBI.
