Muira Puama supplement root bark side effects review 500 mg capsule

Muira puama, also called "potency wood," is a small tree up to 15 feet in height native to the Brazilian Amazon. The bark and roots are the primary parts of muira puama that are utilized. Indigenous peoples use muira puama for the therapy of sexual debility, fatigue, neuromuscular problems, and rheumatism. Muira puama's botanical name is Ptychopetalum olacoides. Don't be surprised to see muira puama spelled in many different ways, including mara puama, marapuama, and marapama.

Recently, muira puama has been gaining in popularity in the US where herbalists are using it for sex, menstrual cramps and PMS, and central nervous system disorders. Muira puama has been traditionally known as a nerve tonic. Amazonian natives use traditional remedies prepared with muira puama roots for treating various central nervous system conditions, including those associated with aging and memory loss.

Muira Puama: what the Research Says
In 1990, at the Institute of Sexology in Paris, France, a clinical study with 262 patients complaining of lack of sexual desire demonstrated muira puama extract to be effective. Within two weeks, at a daily dose of 1 to 1.5 grams of muira puama 4:1 extract, 62% of patients with loss of libido claimed that the treatment was helpful. I found this study mentioned all over the internet, but could not find an official Medline mention.
   In 2000, researchers at the Institute of Sexology published another study. The effectiveness of a herbal formulation of muira puama and Ginkgo-Biloba was assessed in 202 healthy women complaining of low sex drive. Various aspects of their sex life were rated before and after 1 month of treatment. Statistically significant improvements occurred in frequency of sexual desires, sexual intercourse, and sexual fantasies, as well as in satisfaction with sex life, intensity of sexual desires, excitement of fantasies, ability to reach orgasm, and intensity of orgasm. Reported tolerability of the muira puama and ginkgo combination was good.
   Muira puama may be helpful as an erectile dysfunction herb.

Muira Pauma: Mechamisms of Action
The root and bark of muira puama are rich in free long-chain fatty acids, essential oils, plant sterols, coumarin, lupeol, and a new alkaloid named "muirapuamine." Because of its various constituents, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact chemicals in muira puama responsible for its sex boosting effects. One study in rabbits indicates that muira puama has the ability to relax the corpus cavernosa of the penis, thus allowing for engorgement. Another study indicates that muira puama may block an enzyme known as acetylcholinesterase. By blocking the activity of this enzyme, more acetylcholine is available in the central nervous system, which may be helpful in Alzheimer's disease. Acetylcholine is involved in memory, and it also helps dilate blood vessels in the genital region. For more information on sexual enhancement.

Additional benefits of Muira Puama
We find that muira puama increases energy and also has mild mood-enhancing properties and may be useful for mild cases of depression. However little research is available to confirm these findings. We base our findings on feedback from those who have used muira puama supplements.

Availability of Muira Puama
Muira puama sex pill is available in various dosages and extracts. It's difficult to give exact dosage recommendations since each herbal supplier or vitamin company may have a different way of presenting the final product. Also, muirap puama is available in various potencies, including a 4 to 1 extract. Thus, it becomes complicated when recommending exact dosages.

Muira Puama Side Effects
One of the most common side effects of muira puama when used in high doses is insomnia. This is because of the alertness muira puama produces, and, logically, if you are too alert when you go to bed, you are likely to toss and turn in bed.

Reports from patients who have used Muira Puama
At least two thirds of my patients find muira puama to be helpful.  James, 48, says, “Muira puama definitely helps my libido, and I notice the effects within four days. I also find muira puama to be a mood enhancer, helping me deal with life’s emotional events easier.”

Tony, a 44 year-old dentist reports, “I took Muira puama for one week and noticed that in the mornings my erections were lasting longer. I use an alcoholic tincture. The Muira puama bottle is a 2 oz container and I use about 25 drops in a glass of water. I’m also starting to feel more sensual with a stronger desire.”

Cindy, a 34 year-old writer says, “I have had difficulty feeling aroused since my psychiatrist put me on Prozac. I started Muira puama liquid extract and within 2 weeks my libido is coming back, although not as much as before Prozac.”

David, a 39 year-old therapist, says, “I took one gram of Muira puama for two days. I didn’t notice anything the first two days, however, when I awoke the third day, my libido was definitely higher. I was still in bed, and unfortunately my wife had already left for work.”

Muira Puama Research Update
Ptychopetalum olacoides (muira puama), a traditional Amazonian "nerve tonic", possesses anticholinesterase activity.
Siqueira IR. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, 90035-003, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2003 Jun;75(3):645-50.
The cholinergic hypothesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) has provided the rationale for the current pharmacotherapy of this disease, in an attempt to downgrade the cognitive decline caused by cholinergic deficits. Nevertheless, the search for potent and long-acting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors that exert minimal side effects to AD patients is still an ongoing effort. Amazonian communities use traditional remedies prepared with Ptychopetalum olacoides (muira puama) roots for treating various central nervous system conditions, including those associated with aging. The fact that muira puama ethanol extract  has been found to facilitate memory retrieval in the step down procedure in young and aged mice prompt us to evaluate its effects on AChE activity in memory relevant brain areas. Muira puama significantly inhibited AChE activity in vitro in a dose- and time-dependent manner in rat frontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum; a significant inhibition was also found in these same brain areas of aged (14 months) mice after acute administration of muira puama (100 mg/kg ip). We propose that such AChE inhibitory activity is a neurochemical correlate of a number of therapeutic properties traditionally claimed for muira puama, particularly those associated with cognition.

Anxiogenic properties of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth. (Muira puama).
da Silva AL, Bardini S. muira puama bark muira puama side effects
Universidade Federaldo Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Phytother Res. 2002 May;16(3):223-6.
Alcohol infusions of roots of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth, known as Marapuama or Muira puama, are used in the Brazilian Amazon as a 'nerve tonic'. Over the years muira puama has been found increasingly in phytoformulations and regarded as a stimulant, claimed to enhance physical and mental performances. This study determined that a muira puama ethanol extract (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg) decreased exploratory behaviour in the hole-board test, without interfering with locomotion or motor coordination (rota-rod test). The data are comparable to that obtained with pentylenetetrazol (40 mg/kg), suggesting an anxiogenic effect of muira puama.

Muira puama questions
Q. Are you familiar with a muira puama user forum
   A. We are not aware of such user forum.

Q.  I have recently purchased a bottle of Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium Sagittatum) extract from physician formulas and I am very happy with the product. I have been currently looking for both a Muira Pauma extract as well as a Catuaba extract but have found none that I trust enough to purchase. Physician formulas website offers Muira Pauma in 500mg capsules but it does not state that it is an extract. Do you have any recommendations on how I may obtain a trustworthy and potent extract of Muira Pauma and or Catuaba extract?
   A. Some herbs are better used as extracts, others as the full powder. In the case of catuaba and muira puama, feedback thus far reveals that the regular non extract powder is working well.

Q. Is it okay to take muira puama and chaste berry the same day?
   A. If the dosage are low, there should not be a problem.

Q. Which is more potent as an aphrodisiac, suma or muira puama?
   A. In our opinion, muira puama is more potent.

Q. Please let me know the possible drug interactions for muira-puama, for my husband and myself. My husband takes: Amlodipine-benaz 5/10mg, 1 daily and Tricor 145mg, 1 daily. I take: Diovan 160mg, 1 daily.
   A. There is very little research available on the combination of sexual herbs and prescription drugs. As a general rule, if one were to add muira puama, it should be done with the approval of your medical doctor and beginning with a third or half of a capsule for the first few days. It is not possible for us to predict what interactions would occur.

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