When you think of oats, chances are you envision horse stables, granola bars, or Quaker oatmeal. However, this annual grass popularly cultivated for its edible and nutritious grain is good for much more than breakfast cereals and horse fodder.
What is Avena Sativa?
Widely known as wild oats, avena sativa is an annual grass that grows up to four feet tall, but the seeds and stems of the grooved grain are the parts most typically used. While most people associate oats with food, they actually provide a myriad of benefits beyond their nutritional value. In fact, avena sativa has a long history of use as an herbal remedy for its stimulating effect, especially amongst men. Over the years, science has uncovered that avena sativa supports healthy luteinizing hormone levels and allows for the release of bound testosterone, thus boosting energy levels, encouraging sexual appetites and providing other benefits associated with adequate testosterone levels in both men and women, as well as women low libido.
What Does Avena Sativa Do?
Avena sativa contains an array of vitamins and nutrients essential for health and wellness, but its ability to increase bedroom virility is quickly making it a popular sexual enhancer for women low libido. Often used as a safer alternative to other less-natural options, avena sativa extract can have powerful sexual effects on men and women alike.
There have been at least two studies of avena sativa performed by the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. In one study, men between the ages of 22 to 64 with sexual concerns took an avena sativa capsule three times a week for a period of six weeks. During this time, each of the men experienced enhanced sex drives, improvements in performance, and greater overall sexual pleasure. In another report published in the mid-1980s, those taking avena sativa also experienced greater genital sensation and orgasm frequency. 
In women, avena sativa doesn’t seem to alter sexual performance per se, however, the plant’s soothing, sedative-like compounds have proven to relax the body and increase sexual desire.
Its ability to support healthy testosterone levels also benefits women sexually, as healthy testosterone levels are needed to maintain sexual desire and libido in both women and men. Therefore, while it’s mainly used as a natural remedy for men’s sexual health, it has many positive sexual effects for women as well, especially women low libido. Avena sativa’s ability to help boost diminished energy and lack of desire, plus its ability to support healthy stress levels, can help lead to a better quality of life physically, mentally and emotionally.
How Can You Use Avena Sativa?
Sure, munching down on wild oats every day may certainly help you out in bed, but avena sativa is thankfully available in capsule and liquid form as well, so you don’t have to force-feed oatmeal down your throat each morning. When the seeds of an avena sativa plant are young and lack a hard case, they can be used to produce a liquid extract, which is usually consumed as a nerve-calming tonic. When avena sativa seeds are mature, on the other hand, they can be made into capsule form, which is by far the most popular option. Avena sativa is the primary ingredient in many remedies that support sexual concerns. Besides being a powerful and inexpensive solution, avena sativa has no known side effects, unlike prescription drugs which can sometimes be dangerous. That being said, it’s always a wise idea to consult with your doctor or health care provider to help determine if an avena sativa supplement is the best option for you.
Considerations When Using Avena Sativa
While the side effects associated with avena sativa extract are quite uncommon, the possibility of experiencing restlessness, sleeplessness, headaches, and a rapid heart rate are possible when taken at high doses. The suggested dosage varies according to the concentration of a particular extract as some brands are much more potent than others. Avena sativa can usually be purchased online or from health food stores. However, as is the case with any herbal supplement, you should consult a medical professional prior to using this beneficial wild oat extract.