Levitra

Named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sex and beauty, these include an array of herbs, foods and other 'agents' that are said to awaken and heighten sexual desire.

But the 5,000-year tradition of using them is based more on folklore than real science.

"There is no data and no scientific evidence," says Leonore Tiefer, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine.

"Product pushers are very eager to capitalise on myths," she says.Most libido-enhancing products offer short term benefit at best, according to Dr John Mulhall, director of the Sexual Medicine Programme at New York Presbyterian and associate professor of urology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

Mulhall, who also sits on the Nutraceuticals Committee of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America.

He says: "Every year we review the literature on these compounds - these nutraceuticals like nitr...

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