Just when you thought the $4 trillion wellness industry had run out of supplements to sell us, it invents the most innovative vitamin pill yet.
Sex supplements for men that claim to boost sexual performance using one unique mechanism: increasing the amount of semen a man releases.
Called semen ‘volumizers’ or ‘enhancers’, these pills contain a mixture of compounds – most of which are natural – that are said to raise the volume of the ejaculate by increasing penile blood flow and the liquid produced by the prostate .
And according to advocates, this is good news both for the bedroom and fertility.
More blood flow to the penis makes for longer-lasting erections, and a greater volume of fluid is said to both stimulate a partner and intensify a man’s orgasms.
Popstar supplements claim to boost the volume of liquid released when men orgasm, which fans say improves the sexual experience for the man and his partner
Now, the expert behind one leading brand, urologist Dr Joshua Gonzalez, has spoken to Poosh, the wellness website run by Kourtney Kardashian, to sing the praises of the $50+ supplements.
His product is the, ‘first physician-developed supplement specifically designed to improve all aspects of ejaculatory health.’
Not only is ‘strong ejaculatory force and larger ejaculatory volumes are important for fertility’ he says evidence suggests ejaculating a larger volume can ‘intensify’ the orgasmic experience.
And reviews posted on the company’s website make for promising reading. Customers describe increased satisfaction for both the consumer and their partner.
‘My girlfriend loves it and I love it too,’ wrote one user, while another said his ‘output’ had ‘increased dramatically.’
‘Much to the delight of me and my partner,’ he added.
But the Popstar supplement co-developed by Dr Gonzalez is hardly one of a kind. Online, dozens of similar supplements sold by major retailers such as Amazon, and priced between $50 to $80, claim to offer the same results.
Sex supplements for men were recently endorsed by Kourtney Kardashian’s wellness website Poosh. The reality star has been very open about her sex life with new husband, Travis Barker.
Kourtney Kardashian’s website recently ran an interview with the founder of Popstar, in which he claimed that his product can ‘improve all aspects of ejaculatory health’
But do they do what they say on the tin?
First, it’s important to understand the biological underpinnings of the male orgasm.
When a man is aroused, the brain sends signals to the genitals, stimulating them.
Arteries inside the organ widen, allowing blood to rush at 50 times its normal speed into the soft tissue inside the penis, and lock in. This causes an erection.
The prostate and other sex glands produce fluids that mix with sperm to form semen.
When a man approaches orgasm, signals are sent to the glands and muscles at the base of the penis, instructing for the release of the fluid through the urethra (the tube that carries urine out the body) and out the penis.
But experts say there are a host of physical factors that influence how much liquid is expelled during ejaculation – which are far more powerful than a supplement.
Dr Bobby Berookhim, a New York-based urologist and men’s sexual health specialist, told DailyMail.com: ‘As men get older, and as their prostate gets larger, we tend to see ejaculatory volume and force decrease, which is a normal part of aging.
One bottle of 30 Popstar capsules costs $49.99
The amount of testosterone – the male sex hormone – also plays an important role.
For instance, the amount of fluid made and released by the genital glands is partially determined by testosterone levels.
Dr Berookhim said: ‘The volume maybe lower in people with lower-than-average testosterone.
‘Some data suggests that low testosterone may slightly decrease tone within some of the muscles in the penis that are involved in releasing fluid.’
As for the supposedly ‘semen-boosting’ ingredients in the supplements, experts say ‘there’s low-quality evidence’ that they serve any benefit.
Popstar includes natural compounds like bromelain, fructose (fruit sugars), lecithin – found in egg yolks – and proteins like L-arginine and zinc.
Zinc, which is also found in other, similar supplements, has been shown in clinical studies to increase sperm volume.
Lecithin, meanwhile, has not shown evidence of benefits.
There is limited research on L’arginine -a protein found in red meat and dairy – but one small study published last year found a supplement containing it ‘significantly increased the ejaculate volume from the baseline values compared to the placebo.’
However, the study should be taken with a grain of salt, given that the supplement manufacturer partly funded it.
Men who ejaculate 21 times a month slash risk of prostate cancer
Men who ejaculate at least 21 times a month may be at a decreased risk at contracting prostate cancer, a Harvard study finds. The scientific consensus is not certain on the issue, though.
The other ingredients in the Popstar supplement – fructose and bromelain – purport to improve the taste of semen.
Fructose also fuels sperm cells and contributes to the composition of the liquid. However the extent of its influence on total semen volume is still under investigation.
Dr Berookhim says any benefit from sex supplements will be thanks to the placebo effect.
He told DailyMail.com: ‘There’s a power of mind that plays a role here.
‘If you tell a guy: “Take this medicine, your ejaculate or force is going to improve”, you’re going to have a better sexual encounter. He’s already walking in more confident and is more likely to do better as a result of that.
‘The placebo effect is a very real thing.’
There is no shortage of sexual health and performance supplements for women, either.
Many claim to either improve the natural moisture inside the vagina that increases when a woman is sexually aroused, or boost libido.
Supplements on the market contain naturally-derived plants such as ginseng, ginko biloba, yohimbe, and fenugreek.
But, per a 2020 review of these compounds and more, no high-quality clinical studies have proven them to be effective.
Dr Berookhim said: ‘There’s no process whereby [supplement makers] can prove that their supplements provide the benefit that it claims to without the data being biased – because of the vested interest.
‘Supplements are also not subject to the scrutiny of the FDA, so they can, in theory, make whatever health claims they like without the proof to back them up.’