Libido supplements for women, and what the evidence actually shows (2026)
Maca, ashwagandha, saffron and horny goat weed are the most searched female libido boosters. Here is what the trials found, which are small and mixed, how to take supplements safely, and when low desire is a medical issue with real treatments.
By the Wet Betty editors · Published Oct 17, 2026
Fact checked against FDA 510(k) filings, WHO guidance and the sources listed below. How we review
Libido supplements for women have weak evidence. Maca, ashwagandha and saffron each have small placebo controlled trials with modest benefits, often in narrow groups, and horny goat weed has none in women. Supplements are not FDA reviewed for effectiveness. If low desire is new or distressing, a clinician can look for causes and discuss treatments with stronger evidence.
Our picks.
- Most studied herb: NOW Maca 750 mg Raw
- Best for stress: Nature's Bounty Ashwagandha KSM-66
- Best for mood support: Natural Factors Pure Saffron Extract
- Most searched, least proven: NOW Horny Goat Weed Extract 750 mg
Why desire drops.
Low desire is common, and it usually has a reason. Before any supplement, it helps to look at the usual suspects:
- Medicines. Antidepressants, especially SSRIs and SNRIs, are among the most common causes. Hormonal birth control and some blood pressure medicines can also play a part.
- Hormone changes. Menopause, pregnancy, the months after birth and breastfeeding. Menopause dryness has its own fixes, covered in our menopause lube guide.
- Pain or dryness. If sex hurts, desire drops. Treating vaginal dryness or pain often helps more than anything else.
- Mood, stress and sleep. Depression, anxiety, exhaustion and stress all lower desire.
- The relationship. Conflict, distance and mismatched routines matter. Our couples games picks are one gentle way to start talking, and sex toys for couples is another way to add something new.
- Health conditions. Thyroid problems, diabetes and other chronic illnesses can affect desire.
That is why we would see a clinician before buying a supplement, and why a supplement is unlikely to work if the cause is something else.
What the evidence shows.
| Supplement | Best trial in women | What it found | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maca | 45 women on antidepressants, 12 weeks | Modestly higher remission vs placebo, mainly postmenopausal | Weak |
| Maca | 14 postmenopausal women, crossover | Lower sexual dysfunction and mood symptom scores | Weak |
| Ashwagandha | 50 healthy women, 8 weeks | Better arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction scores | Weak |
| Saffron | 38 women on fluoxetine, 4 weeks | Better arousal, lubrication and pain scores, not desire | Weak |
| Horny goat weed | No good trials in women | Unknown | None |
Maca. Maca root is the most studied herb for sexual function in women. In a 2015 Massachusetts General Hospital trial, 45 women whose antidepressant caused sexual problems took maca or placebo for 12 weeks. Remission rates were modestly higher with maca, and the benefit was mostly in postmenopausal women. A 2008 crossover trial of 14 postmenopausal women found lower sexual dysfunction and mood symptom scores on maca, without changes in hormone levels. These are small studies.
Ashwagandha. In a 2015 pilot trial in India, 50 healthy women took a high concentration ashwagandha root extract or placebo for 8 weeks. The ashwagandha group reported better overall sexual function scores, including arousal, lubrication, orgasm and satisfaction, and less sexual distress. Desire was not among the domains reported as improved. One small trial, not yet repeated widely.
Saffron. In a 2013 trial of 38 women with depression whose sexual problems came from fluoxetine, saffron improved arousal, lubrication and pain scores over 4 weeks compared with placebo, but not desire, orgasm or satisfaction. Anyone on an antidepressant should ask their prescriber before adding saffron.
Horny goat weed. Its active compound, icariin, has been studied mostly in the lab and in men. There are no good trials of it for desire in women. It is popular because of its name.
Across all of these, the effects are modest, the trials are short and the groups are narrow. That is where the evidence stands today. Topical products work differently; our arousal gel guide covers the one with placebo controlled trials.
Our picks.
Our full reviews.
NOW Maca 750 mg Raw
Our take. A plain maca root capsule from a large supplement maker. Maca has the most small trials of any libido herb, with mixed results.
Pros
- Single ingredient, maca root
- From a large, established maker
- Small placebo controlled trials exist for maca
Cons
- Evidence is small and mixed
- Supplements are not FDA reviewed for effectiveness
| Category | Format |
|---|---|
| Supplement | 90 veg capsules, 750 mg raw maca root |
Nature's Bounty Ashwagandha KSM-66
Our take. A KSM-66 ashwagandha root extract from a big maker. A small 2015 trial of a high concentration root extract in women reported better arousal and satisfaction scores, not better desire.
Pros
- KSM-66 root extract
- From a large, established maker
- One small placebo controlled trial of a root extract in women
Cons
- NCCIH flags rare liver injury reports
- Not for pregnancy or thyroid conditions without a clinician
| Category | Format |
|---|---|
| Supplement | 90 tablets, KSM-66 ashwagandha root extract |
Natural Factors Pure Saffron Extract
Our take. A saffron extract capsule. Saffron has one small trial in women whose sexual side effects came from an antidepressant, with better arousal and lubrication but not desire.
Pros
- Standardized saffron extract
- One small placebo controlled trial in women
- Small capsule count to try
Cons
- Evidence is narrow and small
- Ask a clinician first if you take an antidepressant
| Category | Format |
|---|---|
| Supplement | 30 vegetarian capsules, affron saffron extract |
NOW Horny Goat Weed Extract 750 mg
Our take. A simple epimedium extract from a big maker. We list it because people search for it, not because the evidence in women is good.
Pros
- Single herb, clearly labeled
- From an established maker
- Inexpensive
Cons
- No good trials in women
- Little safety data; ask a clinician if you take other medicines
| Category | Format |
|---|---|
| Supplement | 90 tablets, epimedium extract |
NOW Maca 750 mg Raw.
A plain, single ingredient maca root capsule from a large supplement maker. Maca has the most trials of any herb here, and they are small and mixed. Single ingredient products make it easier to know what you are taking.
Nature's Bounty Ashwagandha KSM-66.
A KSM-66 ashwagandha root extract from a big maker. It earns best for stress, because ashwagandha is mainly sold for stress and the one trial in women used a root extract. Read the NCCIH safety notes below first.
Natural Factors Pure Saffron Extract.
A standardized saffron extract. Saffron's trial was in women whose sexual side effects came from an antidepressant, so if that is you, ask your prescriber first. It did not improve desire in that trial.
NOW Horny Goat Weed Extract.
We include it because it is the most searched libido herb, and if you are going to buy it, a clearly labeled single herb from an established maker is the better choice. There are no good trials in women.
How we chose.
We picked single ingredient products from established supplement makers for the herbs with the most published research in women, plus the most searched herb. We looked at labels and published trials. We have not tested them hands on, and we do not claim any of them will raise desire. We avoided multi ingredient libido blends, because they are harder to judge for dose, interactions and evidence, and because the FDA does not review supplements for effectiveness.
Safety and interactions.
- Supplements are not FDA approved. The FDA does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness before they are sold; makers are responsible for both. Third party quality seals can help with purity, not effectiveness.
- Ashwagandha. NCCIH says it may cause drowsiness, stomach upset, diarrhea and vomiting, that rare cases of liver injury have been reported, that it should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and that it is not recommended for people with thyroid or autoimmune disorders or before surgery. It may interact with medicines for diabetes, blood pressure, thyroid, seizures, immune suppression and sedation.
- Antidepressants. Ask your prescriber before adding saffron or any supplement.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Avoid libido supplements unless your clinician says otherwise.
- Blends. Multi ingredient products can hide large doses or unexpected ingredients. Be cautious with anything promising fast results.
Bring the bottle to your pharmacist or clinician if you take other medicines.
When low desire is a medical issue.
Low desire becomes a medical issue when it is persistent and causes you distress. Clinicians call it hypoactive sexual desire disorder, or HSDD, when there is no other medical, medication or relationship explanation. It is common and treatable.
Treatment starts with the causes above: changing a medicine that dampens desire, treating dryness or pain, addressing mood and sleep, and sex therapy or couples therapy. For HSDD itself, there are two FDA approved prescription medicines to ask a clinician about, flibanserin (Addyi) and bremelanotide (Vyleesi). Our guide to Addyi explains how they differ from supplements and what to ask.
When to see a clinician.
See a clinician if low desire is new, persistent or causing you distress, if sex has become painful, or if it started after a new medicine, a birth, surgery or menopause. Get care promptly for symptoms of depression. Stop a supplement and get care for yellowing skin or eyes, dark urine, belly pain or unusual tiredness, which can be signs of liver problems. This page is general information, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions.
Do libido supplements for women work?
The evidence is weak. A few herbs, mainly maca, ashwagandha and saffron, have small placebo controlled trials with modest benefits, often in specific groups such as women on antidepressants. None has the evidence of prescription treatments, and none is FDA reviewed for effectiveness.
Does maca work for women?
Maybe, a little. Two small trials found benefits, one in 14 postmenopausal women and one in 45 women with antidepressant related sexual problems, where the benefit was mainly in postmenopausal women. Larger trials are needed.
Does horny goat weed work for women?
There is no good evidence that it does. Most research is in the lab or in men. We include it because so many people search for it, not because we think it works.
Are libido supplements safe?
Many are well tolerated in the short term, but supplements can interact with medicines, and some carry specific warnings. NCCIH notes rare liver injury reports with ashwagandha. Multi ingredient libido blends are harder to judge. Ask a pharmacist or clinician, especially if you take other medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a chronic condition.
What is the most effective treatment for low libido in women?
It depends on the cause. Treating pain with sex, dryness, depression, medication side effects, relationship strain or exhaustion often helps more than any pill. For hypoactive sexual desire disorder, there are FDA approved prescription options to ask a clinician about, such as Addyi and Vyleesi.
When is low desire a medical problem?
When it is persistent and causes you distress, especially if it is a change from before. Clinicians call this hypoactive sexual desire disorder when there is no other medical, medication or relationship explanation. It is common and treatable.
