Damiana tea is searched far more than the supplement, at 51290 times a month against 930 for the aphrodisiac angle. The traffic and the marketing disagree.
There are 0 human trials of damiana tea for anything. What follows is tradition, chemistry and how to actually make it.
Quick Answer: What Is Damiana Tea Good For?
Traditionally it is drunk as a relaxing, mildly aromatic tea across Mexico and Central America. There are no human trials of damiana tea for any outcome. The genus contains caffeine and 7 cyanogenic glycosides, which is a reason to treat an occasional cup differently from heavy daily drinking.
Key Takeaways
- Damiana tea is searched 51290 times a month, far above the capsule.
- There are 0 human trials of damiana tea for any single outcome.
- The genus contains caffeine, 22 flavonoids and 7 cyanogenic glycosides.
- Traditional uses run to 11 conditions, none of them trial-tested.
- Avoid it in pregnancy, given 1 traditional use as an abortive.
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Why the Tea Dominates
The search data and the marketing point in different directions, which is worth knowing before reading anything else about this plant.
| Cluster | Monthly searches |
|---|---|
| Tea, leaf and forms | 51,290 |
| What is it and benefits | 44,400 |
| For women and hormones | 1,910 |
| Side effects | 1,320 |
| Aphrodisiac and libido | 930 |
Most people arriving at damiana are looking for a drink rather than a treatment. What the plant is comes first, in our damiana overview.
What Is Actually in the Leaf
Two constituents matter for anyone drinking it regularly.
- Caffeine: Identified in the genus and in an active extract.
- Cyanogenic glycosides: 7 different ones across the genus.
- Flavonoids: 22 compounds, including apigenin.
- Also: Phenolics, terpenoids and fatty acids.
Neither the caffeine nor the glycosides is a reason to avoid a cup, and both are reasons not to drink several litres a day.[1]Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and bioactivity of the genus Turnera (Passifloraceae) with a focus on damiana - Turnera diffusa — Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2014) View source Traditional use across the genus covers 11 conditions plus abortive, expectorant and laxative uses.
How to Make It
The method is simple and the honest framing is culinary rather than clinical.
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Amount | Roughly 1 teaspoon of dried leaf per cup |
| Water | Just off the boil |
| Steep | About 5 to 10 minutes |
| Taste | Aromatic and slightly bitter |
| Often blended with | Mint, hibiscus or lemon |
Damiana is also the flavouring in a well-known Mexican liqueur, which is where a good deal of its reputation comes from.
Tea Versus Capsules
The 2 formats answer different questions, and only 1 gives a measured amount.
| Tea | Capsules | |
|---|---|---|
| Dose control | None; varies by leaf and steep | Exact, at 1000 mg |
| Trial evidence | 0 trials | 0 trials of damiana alone |
| Traditional use | Centuries | Modern |
| Caffeine | Extracted into the cup | Present in the leaf |
| Best for | Enjoying a drink | A measured amount |
Neither has a human trial behind it, which is the honest symmetry. Amounts for the capsule are in dosage and how to take it.
Who Should Skip the Tea
The same exclusions apply as for the capsule, and the first is absolute.
- Pregnancy: Avoid, on the abortive traditional use.
- Diabetes medication: Ask, given animal antidiabetic findings.
- Caffeine sensitivity: Worth knowing before an evening cup.
- Heavy daily drinking: Moderate it, given the glycoside content.
The full list is in the damiana cautions.
| Question people ask of the tea | Honest answer |
|---|---|
| Does it work as an aphrodisiac? | The best evidence is in rats, at 80 mg per kg |
| Does it change hormones? | 0 human measurements exist |
| Is it relaxing? | Traditional, and untested |
| Is it caffeine free? | No; caffeine is a documented constituent |
The rat study behind the aphrodisiac reputation used 80 mg per kg against yohimbine, and its active extract contained caffeine, arbutine and flavonoids.[2]Turnera diffusa Wild (Turneraceae) recovers sexual behavior in sexually exhausted males — Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2009) View source In humans, the only relevant study tested a formula with 6 ingredients.[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
- Tea: A drink, with 0 dose control.
- Capsule: 1000 mg, measured every time.
- Evidence: Thin for both of the 2 formats.
If a measured amount is what you want rather than a drink, our damiana capsules are the same leaf in a form you can count.
See a Clinician Rather Than Brewing a Herb 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
What is damiana tea good for? +
Traditionally, relaxation and as an aphrodisiac. There are 0 human trials of damiana tea for any outcome at all.
Can I drink damiana tea every day? +
Occasional use appears undramatic. Heavy daily drinking is worth moderating, since the genus contains 7 cyanogenic glycosides.
How do you make damiana tea? +
Roughly 1 teaspoon of dried leaf per cup, steeped 5 to 10 minutes in water just off the boil.
Who should not drink damiana tea? +
Anyone pregnant, anyone on glucose-lowering medication, and anyone sensitive to caffeine. Those are the 3 to think about.
Does damiana tea contain caffeine? +
Caffeine has been identified in the genus and in 1 active extract studied in rats. Assume a cup is not caffeine free.
How long does damiana tea take to kick in? +
There are 0 trials measuring this. Any effect people describe arrives within the 1 or 2 hours you would expect from a warm drink.
What does damiana tea taste like? +
Aromatic and slightly bitter. It is often blended with 1 of 3 things: mint, hibiscus or lemon.
Is the tea stronger than capsules? +
Neither has trial evidence, and only 1 of the 2 gives a measured amount. A capsule is 1000 mg every time; a cup is not.
Is damiana in a liqueur? +
Yes, it flavours a well-known Mexican liqueur. That is 1 culinary use rather than a medicinal one.
Does damiana tea help sleep? +
There are 0 trials of that, and the caffeine content argues against an evening cup for some people.
Can I blend it with other herbs? +
People do, commonly with 1 of the milder flavours. Blending does not add evidence to either herb.
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