Supplements
One thing all the established methods of penis enlargement have in common is that they all require a certain amount of commitment. Those who opt for natural exercise or a penile stretching device will certainly see results, but they must be prepared to spend time and effort to reap the rewards. Penis enlargement surgery on the other hand, may have the potential of producing gains but there are risks involved, results can be unpredictable and the procedures are extremely costly.
With the advent of penis enlargement supplements, various manufacturers claim that all these drawbacks are now a thing of the past. By simply taking a pill or two a day, it's claimed that within a few months dramatic increases of up to three inches in penis length are possible.
Whether these preparations can produce such miraculous results remains to be seen. However, they are becoming increasingly popular and as such need to be looked at closely.
Ingredients
Male enhancement supplements tend to include a variety of natural i.e. non-pharmaceutically derived ingredients. These often include a range of 'pro-sexual' herbs, which either through traditional use or clinical study, have been shown to either increase male sex drive or improve erection quality. Likewise, various vitamins, minerals and amino acids which are known to have a beneficial affect on male sexual health are also often mixed into the formula.
In practice, the physiological effects of the typical ingredients found within penis enlargement pills can be placed in two groups.
Firstly, various herbs such as Ginkgo, Horney Goat Weed and Damiana are often included as they are known to dilate (expand) the arteries within the body, including those that supply the penis with blood. Known as 'vasodilators', such herbs have long been used to treat circulatory disorders including erectile dysfunction. By expanding the arteries, these ingredients actively boost blood flow to the penis – producing harder, and maybe somewhat larger looking erections, similar to those experienced during extreme sexual arousal.
Other common ingredients including Asian Ginseng and the amino acid L-Arginine have a similar affect in boosting penile blood flow, but through a different action. These ingredients increase levels of a substance in the body known as Nitric Oxide (NO), which is a chemical messenger vital for healthy erectile function. In fact, the anti-impotence drug Viagra relies on the same mechanism to boost erection quality.
The simple effect of all the above ingredients is that they promote firmer, fuller looking erections because of their blood flow boosting properties.
The second effect of many of these supplements is to increase the body's production of sex hormones, in particular testosterone. Herbs such as Muira Puama, Saw Palmetto, Tribulus and again Ginseng, are known to have this affect. Of course, increased testosterone levels leads to an increase in sex drive and encourages more frequent, stronger erections.
There's no doubting the positive effects many of these ingredients have on male sexual health. Numerous clinical studies over the years have examined their traditional usages as aphrodisiacs, sex drive enhancers and anti-impotence treatments.
For example, several studies involving men suffering from impotence have shown that Ginkgo specifically boosts blood flow to the penis. In one such study involving sixty impotent men, penile blood circulation was improved after six weeks and after six months, fifty percent of the patients had regained potency.
In another clinical study, sixty seven percent of impotent men reported significant improvements in erection size and rigidity as well as increased levels of sexual activity after taking Ginseng for sixty days.
But obviously these clinical trials relate to the effectiveness of such herbs purely for the treatment of male sexual dysfunction. The real question is whether a combination of the above herbs can have a synergistic affect that could actually promote a permanent increase in penis size.
In Practice
Clearly, when taken by a healthy male (i.e. not suffering from impotence or low sex drive), it's likely that such supplements will significantly increase sex drive and improve erectile function. Because several of the commonly used ingredients are well known to actively promote and enhance blood flow to the penis, it is probable that they will also encourage stronger, firmer erections - similar to those experienced when you're extremely sexually aroused.
To this end a balanced preparation of these ingredients will more than likely contribute to the maintenance of overall male sexual health. They may certainly be beneficial as a means of ensuring optimum sexual functioning, and may additionally be extremely helpful for those suffering from any form of sexual dysfunction, be it weak erections or a low sex drive.
As to whether their blood boosting and testosterone enhancing effects will actively promote permanent penile growth though, remains highly debatable. Certainly, whilst you're taking penis enhancement pills you're likely to continue to enjoy skin busting erections, but these effects will probably subside once your supply has run dry.
A relatively new trend is to combine such supplements with other non-surgical penis enlargement methods, such as the use of exercise or a traction device. The idea is that the increased blood flow to the penis promoted by these supplements enhances gains by providing the penis with a continuously strong supply of nutrient and oxygen rich blood. In fact, many of the more reputable penis pill brands now bundle their supplements with exercise manuals.
The Leading Brands
There are numerous brands of penis enlargement pills now available, although many are unfortunately of dubious origin or questionable quality. The medicinal benefit of a supplement is determined by its concentration of active ingredients – and these vary widely depending on the quality of the raw ingredients used. It's for this reason that one product with seemingly the same ingredients as another can have a very powerful effect, whilst the other may offer no real benefit.
For this reason if you are considering trying this type of supplement, it's advisable to stick to the well known brands. One of the long-term leaders in the field, VigRX are well known for the quality of their product. VigRX contains quite a potent blend of 'pro-sexual' herbs such as Muira Puama, Ginkgo, Ginseng and Horney Goat Weed, which will certainly produce the results mentioned above. The company also offer an 'enhanced' version of their product, known as VigRX Plus which includes several additional ingredients including a substance known as Bioperine - believed to enhance the body's absorption of nutrients. The company claim that Bioperine significantly increases the potency of their product, although this increased effectiveness comes with a rather hefty price increase.
Another high quality supplement, Roaring Tiger, combines traditional 'pro-sexual' herbs such as Horney Goat Weed and Muira Puama, with L-Arginine. As mentioned before, L-Arginine works in a similar way to Viagra by increasing levels of Nitric Oxide, a chemical messenger which is vitally important for optimum erectile function. As with Vig-RX Plus, Roaring Tiger also includes Bioperine to further enhance the supplement's potency. Another attractive incentive is that the manufacturers of Roaring Tiger offer a free trial bottle, which is certainly worth the $1.99 shipping fee if you're just curious as to their effects.