Aphrodisiacs, named for the Greek goddess of sensuality, Aphrodite, have a bad reputation. Famed for their sexual enhancing capabilities, the other qualities of these natural foods and herbs are often overlooked.

Surveys conducted show that only seven out of every ten students on campus have even heard of aphrodisiacs.

Many of those students, including Mason Joseph, a sophomore in nuclear engineering, are skeptical about the actual effects of aphrodisiacs.

“Maybe chemicals like pheromones work, but those love potion things – no way,” Joseph said.

Heidi Charron, a senior in architecture, offered a different approach.

“I think they must be mostly a placebo effect sort of thing,” she said. “But sometimes, [that] effect can be a strong influence.”

So, how much truth lies in the effect of aphrodisiacs?

According to Chris Kilham, called the “Medicine Hunter”, aphrodisiacs do work, providing they are of good quality and come from a legitimate source. Kilham is an explorer-in-residence at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, and he advocates the use of herbs as a natural way to enhance sexual drive and performance.

But aphrodisiac’s effects can provide more then sexual benefits, as Aaron Mangal, a senior in business management, has discovered. After picking up one of Kilham’s fliers at a health store, Mangal got on the Web and looked for aphrodisiacs to try.

“You have to trust the source,” he said. “I only bought from companies that actually looked into the process of producing the herbs.”

Mangal’s aphrodisiacs go beyond the stereotypical chocolate and oysters.

Maca and muira puama, both roots from South America, increase energy for sex, but that energy can also be used for other activities, like exercising. He also uses dried damiana leaves from Mexico that can be made into a sensual tea and suma, an Amazonian root that he uses as his daily source of vitamins.

Mangal now takes aphrodisiacs with him to the gym. He said he drinks a tea mixed with the herbs prior to working out. The herbs increase testosterone levels, which does increase his sex drive, but also helps improve his strength and focus during yoga and weight lifting.

Aphrodisiacs work by stimulating the body through hormones and other chemicals that affect receptors in the brain dealing with the libido. Mangal explains that the feeling created by this stimulation is similar to that of a “runner’s high”, or the endorphins released after exercise.

“People think it’s weird, they think that [aphrodisiacs] just have to do with sex,” Mangal said. “What they don’t realize is that these plants have been used by people on this Earth for thousands of years as medicines, too.”

Energy drinks, like Red Bull and Sobe have high fructose corn syrup and caffeine, compounds that give our bodies energy. Sobe even includes ginseng, an ingredient that enhances the sex drive. However, too much of these drinks can lead to severe side effects, such as heart murmurs and high blood pressure.

Kilham’s article explains that no adverse effects have been linked to aphrodisiacs, yet they still remain in the background. Mangal blames this lack of popularity on the industry.

“Things are driven by the industry – companies can make so much money off those energy drinks, like $3 a can. These herbs are cheap, I’ve never paid more than $4 for a package,” he said.

Mangal said he feels that it is not only the marketing aspect that has prevented consumers from investing in natural products like the aphrodisiac herbs, but also because people are losing touch with the environment.

People will take pills with pages of side effects, but steer away from natural products with no negative issues, Mangal said. He sees the environment as something students shy away from — something he wants to change.

“Aaron is spreading love to Earth on V-day,” he said.