For LOW LIBIDO, vitamin C with bioflavonoids balances neurotransmitters and optimizes hormone balance through all phases of the sexual cycle for a robust sex drive. One of the most important organs for a healthy sex life is the brain, as well as hormonal and adrenal balance, and so nutrients that support nervous system health and also physical and hormonal systems can boost libido in multiple ways.

Vitamin C, enhanced with bioflavonoids, can support a vibrant libido via several important roles:

1. Vitamin C is clinically proven to increase testosterone levels, leading to greater sexual interest. Testosterone has been strongly identified as the fuel that feeds the male sex drive. Although the relationship of testosterone levels and libido may not be exactly linear, as some men maintain sexual desire at relatively low testosterone levels and in others libido may lag with normal levels, if testosterone falls low enough, virtually all men will experience a decline in sex drive. Overall, vitamin C leads to improved testosterone output which results in a livelier libido.
2. Vitamin C is a highly effective antioxidant that boosts nitric oxide (NO) production. Since nitric oxide plays an important role in a man’s sexual ability, improving blood levels of this substance can be quite beneficial in boosting his sex drive.
3. In addition, Vitamin C assists arousal by promoting vasodilation via improved nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide improves libido, and also improves blood flow and erectile strength which further enhances a man’s enthusiasm for sexual intimacy.
4. Vitamin C also enhances sex drive by supporting the body’s production of male hormones that aid in arousal, predominantly androgens and progesterone.
5. For the endocrine system, vitamin C has been shown to stabilize cortisol output, balancing stress hormones and thus boosting mood. Chronically high cortisol levels can block a man’s sex drive by suppressing thyroid function and circulating sex hormones, impairing cognitive performance, and also causing a loss of muscle tissue and an increase of visceral fat.¹
6. Vitamin C supports the release of the pituitary hormone oxytocin, which promotes feelings of bonding, intimacy, and wish for close emotional connection.
7. Arousal is initiated by the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which assists with focus, creativity, and concentration. Vitamin C has a key role in stabilizing acetylcholine production in the brain.

Libido relies on the interplay of many body systems: vitamin C encourages nitric oxide production, which in turn is essential for penile erection.  Studies of tissue levels of nitric oxide on smooth muscle relaxation revealed that penile erection is mediated by nitric oxide.^2,3 Men with greater confidence in their erections are known to have higher interest in sex.

As many as 25 million American men suffer from lowered libido and sexual dysfunction in all age groups. This is influenced by the fact that and with aging, nutrient demands increase as metabolic functions slow down and absorption can decline. Increasing intake of crucial vitamins, minerals, and flavonoids can help maintain strong libido and sexual function. Water-soluble vitamin C cannot be stored in the body so it is important to get enough of this robust men’s health supporting vitamin on a daily basis.

Oxidative damage to testicular tissues can impede testosterone production, resulting in lowered libido. Vitamin C is a highly effective antioxidant that protects the body from damaging free radicals and reactive oxygen species: These substances are byproducts of normal metabolism, but their amounts increase from exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants, which is hard to avoid nowadays. Antioxidants are essential to shield cells from oxidative injury, and vitamin C is especially potent. In addition, vitamin C helps the regeneration of other antioxidants such as Vitamin E.

Several studies have shown that vitamin C protects the testicular Leydig cells from oxidative stressors, thus preserving testosterone levels and maintaining a healthy libido. In vitro studies confirm that ascorbic acid, vitamin C, creates a significant stimulation of enzyme activity and rise in testosterone content in testicular Leydig cells due to enhancing enzyme action.⁴

In a study of 120 male workers occupationally exposed to lead in India and rendered impotent and infertile, the men were given ample doses of vitamin C. The researchers noted improvements in libido, and they deduced that this antioxidant treatment offered protection against DNA damage due to reactive oxygen species. Therefore, vitamin C is valuable for helping to strengthen male testicular function and restoring libido.⁵

Bioflavonoids are plant pigments that give fruits and flowers their colors. Bioflavonoids enhance the absorption of vitamin C and improve its utilization throughout the body. They also have metabolic benefits in their own right: Most importantly for libido, the flavonoid hesperidin helps to increase blood flow to the pelvic tissues, allowing for more responsive sexual arousal. Another bioflavonoid, rutin, strengthens the walls of the entire arterial system, boosting blood flow into the penis, and it also tonifies the veins that trap blood in the penile tissues. Bioflavonoids enhance vitamin C’s absorption and effectiveness, they are a valuable adjunct treatment for libido and magnify vitamin C’s benefits for sexual prowess.

In our clinic, we choose water-soluble vitamin C in a buffered, low-acidity potassium-magnesium blend that is gentle on the stomach, with a low pH of ideally around 4.2. This form is highly absorbable, and very rarely causes loose stools, unlike other vitamin C formulas. Bioflavonoids are a crucial component of the vitamin C complex found in nature. We like to include them with vitamin C as these plant pigments enhance the absorption of vitamin C, improve its utilization throughout the body, and bring additional benefits for libido.

Our male patients taking vitamin C with bioflavonoids experience increased ease of arousal, greater intensity of desire, and more frequent sexual excitation over time. These men report that a vitamin C-bioflavonoid complex appears to bring added benefits for their frequency of erotic thoughts and wish to connect intimately when added to their protocol for boosting libido.

Recommendation: Buffered vitamin C 1,000mg, buffered with magnesium and/or potassium, and including citrus Bioflavonoids 100-200mg, one to three times daily with any meals, or as directed by your healthcare provider.

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