/oss/taxonomy/term/724/all en /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-you-asked/spanish-fly-really-aphrodisiac <p>The extract contains cantharidin,  a substance that supposedly increases sexual desire. Not only does it not do that, it may eliminate all desire permanently. When ingested, cantharidin can kill. But when used in small doses topically, it can be an effective treatment for warts. </p> Fri, 03 Dec 2021 23:24:20 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8943 at /oss /oss/article/uncategorized/penis-problems <p>Here is a formula for separating fools from their money. Find a condition that doesn’t pose a serious threat to health, but causes enough concern for people to want to invest in a solution. Propose that you have a product that treats this condition and search the scientific literature for some natural substance that provides some smidgen of evidence for possible help. If you can link it to use by the ancient Chinese, so much the better. Use clever language to make a mountain of a mole-hill, and blow some scientific sounding mumbo- jumbo around.</p> Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:20:17 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1620 at /oss /oss/article/health-you-asked/what-horny-goat-weed <p>Could there be a better name for a purported aphrodisiac than “Horny Goat Weed?” Well, it’s out there, you can find it in health food stores. Whether it really is an aphrodisiac or not is a different question. What we do know is that the Chinese have been using preparations made from this plant for millennia and claim that it is the real deal. According to the legend, a Chinese goat herder was once puzzled as to why sometimes his animals would engage in incessant sexual activity. Was it something they ate?</p> Fri, 16 Nov 2012 02:13:44 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1784 at /oss