There is no established dose of damiana, because there is no human trial of damiana on its own. That is 1 uncomfortable fact, and it explains the other 2 below.
The rat study used 20 to 80 mg per kg. The human study used a formula with 6 ingredients and never reported the damiana amount.
Quick Answer: How Much Damiana Should You Take?
There is no established dose. No human trial has tested damiana on its own, the rat study used 20 to 80 mg per kilogram, and the human study of a damiana-containing formula did not separate out how much damiana it delivered. Our capsule holds 1000 mg of leaf, and the label direction is the only practical guide available.
Key Takeaways
- There is no established dose, because there are 0 human trials.
- The rat study used 20 to 80 mg per kg of body weight.
- The human study used a formula with 6 ingredients, damiana among them.
- That study never reported how much damiana was in 1 capsule.
- Our capsule holds 1000 mg of leaf, with 60 per bottle.
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Why No Dose Exists
This is unusual enough to state directly rather than bury under a dosing table.
- Human trials of damiana alone: None.
- Human trials of formulas containing it: 2.
- Damiana amount reported in those: Not separated out.
- Animal doses: 20 to 80 mg per kg.
A genus review put it plainly: most reported activities were investigated only in chemical, cell-based or animal assays.[1]Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and bioactivity of the genus Turnera (Passifloraceae) with a focus on damiana - Turnera diffusa — Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2014) View source What damiana is comes first, in the broader damiana picture.
What the Animal Study Used
Translating an animal dose to a person is not straightforward, and the numbers are worth seeing anyway.
| Element | The rat study |
|---|---|
| Species | Sexually exhausted male rats |
| Doses tested | 20, and up to 80 mg per kg |
| Effective dose | 80 mg per kg |
| Comparator | Yohimbine at 2 mg per kg |
| Main compounds in the active extract | Caffeine, arbutine, flavonoids |
Animal doses per kilogram do not convert directly to human amounts, which is why we do not publish a conversion.[2]Turnera diffusa Wild (Turneraceae) recovers sexual behavior in sexually exhausted males — Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2009) View source The effective dose there was the highest of the 3 tested.
Our Label, Stated Plainly
In the absence of a trial dose, the label is the practical answer.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Amount per capsule | 1000 mg of damiana leaf |
| Capsules per bottle | 60 |
| Bottle life at 1 daily | 2 months |
| With or without food | Either; food helps if it upsets your stomach |
| Evening use | Consider avoiding, given the caffeine content |
The caffeine point is the one most people miss, and it is the difference between an afternoon capsule and a poor night's sleep.
Tea Versus Capsule Amounts
The 2 formats differ in exactly one important way.
- Capsule: 1000 mg, identical every time.
- Tea: Varies by leaf, quantity and steeping time.
- Evidence: 0 human trials for either format.
- Practical: Only 1 of the 2 lets you repeat what you did.
Brewing instructions and the traditional context are in making damiana tea at home, where the same gap applies.
A Sensible Approach
Short, and mostly about not expecting much.
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start | 1 capsule daily, following the label |
| Timing | Earlier in the day, given the caffeine |
| Duration | A few weeks is enough to form a view |
| Expectation | Low, on 0 human trials of the herb alone |
| Stop | If nothing changes, or anything does |
The exclusions matter more than the number here, and they are in the damiana safety notes.
- Per capsule: 1000 mg of damiana leaf.
- Per bottle: 60 capsules, or 2 months.
- Trial dose in humans: 0, because none exists.
The one human study of a damiana-containing formula never reported how much damiana each capsule delivered, which is why no conversion is possible.[3]A double-blind placebo-controlled study of ArginMax, a nutritional supplement for enhancement of female sexual function — Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy (2001) View source A bottle of 1000 mg damiana is 2 months at 1 daily.
See a Clinician Rather Than Adjusting an Amount If
- Pregnancy or planning a pregnancy, given the traditional use of Turnera species as abortives
- New or persistent sexual difficulty, which can signal a cardiovascular, hormonal or mental-health issue and deserves assessment
- Diabetes, or use of any glucose-lowering medication
- Liver disease, or unexplained jaundice, dark urine or right-sided abdominal pain
- Any plan to smoke or vape damiana leaf
Frequently Asked Questions
How much damiana should I take? +
There is no established dose, because there are 0 human trials of damiana alone. Our label directs 1 capsule of 1000 mg.
How soon would I notice anything? +
There is nothing reliable to time. The rat study used a single dose and the 1 human study of a damiana-containing formula ran 4 weeks.
Can I take it every day at this dose? +
Everyday use appears undramatic on a thin base, and 0 human trials of the herb alone exist. More than 1 capsule has no evidence behind it either.
When should I take it? +
Earlier in the day is sensible, because caffeine is 1 documented constituent of the leaf.
With or without food? +
Either. Food helps if it upsets your stomach, and no trial has tested the 2 options.
How long before it works? +
There is nothing to time. The 1 human study of a damiana-containing formula ran 4 weeks before measuring anything.
Is the tea equivalent to a capsule? +
No. A capsule is 1000 mg every time, and a cup varies by leaf, amount and steeping.
How long does 1 bottle last? +
Sixty capsules is 2 months at 1 daily.
What does damiana do to the body at this dose? +
Nothing has been demonstrated in humans at any dose. There are 0 trials of the herb alone, so 1 capsule and 2 are equally unstudied.
Who should avoid taking damiana at any dose? +
Anyone pregnant, and anyone on glucose-lowering medication without asking. Those 2 exclusions apply whatever the amount.
Related Reading
- What the Aphrodisiac Research Shows
- What Damiana Does and Does Not Do to Hormones
- Is There Any Damiana High?
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