Also worth a good look are a handful of natural aphrodisiacs that, at least anecdotally, have been reported to help sustain erections. These are ginseng, damiana, muira puama and maca. Ginseng is widely regarded as a ' sexual rejuvenator' and animal studies have shown it to increase testosterone levels, help the body adapt to stress and boost energy. You need about 1g a day of either Panax ginseng (standardized to 10 per cent ginsenosides) or Siberian ginseng (standardized to 1 per cent eleutherosides).

Damiana is a central American shrub that is said to stimulate production of testosterone, although the exact mechanism is not known. Try 400 to 800mg twice daily.

Muira puama is native to the Brazilian Amazon, and its workings, too, are shrouded in mystery. In a study in France, 62 per cent of men who took it claimed it had changed their lives. Try lg a day.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is native to Peru' s central highlands, where it has been used in traditional Andean culture to awaken healthy passion. Experiments on animals showed increased sexual performance and improved erectile function even in rats with their testes removed! Try 3 to 5g of ground maca. You can find herbal remedies containing com-binations of these herbs.