Does Ayurvedic medicine help erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation? Not in any way that has been shown well: for premature ejaculation there is one small trial, in which an Ayurvedic herb mix added less than a minute, and the one randomised trial of ashwagandha for erectile dysfunction found it no better than placebo. A review for Australian GPs says complementary and alternative medicine "is not a recommended form of treatment for premature ejaculation". The bigger risk is what some Ayurvedic sex products contain: the TGA has found lead, mercury and hidden prescription medicines.

What does Ayurveda offer for these problems?

A branch of its own, called vajikarana, "concerned with aphrodisiacs, virility and improving health of progeny". It pairs body cleansing, diet and conduct with individually chosen herbal and "herbo-mineral" combinations, meant to help infertility, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. The authors of that review list its limits too: a "lack of scientific studies", possible adulteration of the combinations on the market, and possible unexpected side effects (Dalal et al., Indian J Psychiatry 2013).

Has Ayurvedic medicine been tested for premature ejaculation?

Once, in a small trial. Fifty-five men took Stambhanakaraka Yoga — tulsi seed (Ocimum sanctum), akarkara (Anacyclus pyrethrum) and sugar — or a placebo for two months, and both groups had counselling (Kulkarni and Chandola, 2013). The 50 men analysed lasted 1.85 minutes on average on the herbs and 1.05 minutes on placebo — about 48 seconds more. How the time was measured and whether there were side effects were not reported; it was the only Ayurvedic trial among ten trials of complementary medicine for premature ejaculation, all at unclear risk of bias (Cooper et al., Sex Med 2017). In a 12-man pilot, neither yoga nor naturopathy gave meaningful relief (Mamidi and Gupta, 2013). For comparison, dapoxetine, approved by the TGA for premature ejaculation in 2010, lengthened the time by 2.5 to 3 minutes in trials (RACGP).

Has it been tested for erectile dysfunction?

Barely, and the one herb tested properly failed. In a randomised trial, 86 men whose erectile dysfunction had a psychological cause took ashwagandha root powder or a wheat-powder placebo for 60 days: erection scores improved by 12.6% on ashwagandha and 19.1% on placebo, the difference was not significant, and neither amounted to relief (Mamidi and Thakar, 2011). A review of herbal supplements for ED called the results for some multi-herb formulas promising but "very preliminary" (Borrelli et al., 2018). What each herb is, and what trials of it found, is in Ayurvedic treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Are Ayurvedic sex products safe?

Not always. Ayurvedic medicines are regulated in Australia as listed medicines and "must not contain dangerous substances or heavy metals at levels that pose a risk to health", yet the TGA keeps receiving reports of lead poisoning linked to unregistered Ayurvedic medicines; state testing found lead, mercury and arsenic in several, and lead poisoning can cause "long-term health effects up to and including organ damage and death" (TGA safety advisory, September 2025).

  • Kamini tablets, "sold as an aphrodisiac", were found to contain dangerous poisons and prescription-only ingredients, and are often labelled with cinnabar, a mercury compound; the TGA says they "should not be taken" (TGA, June 2023; TGA, September 2025).
  • Hidden medicines: in 2026 the TGA found sildenafil, tadalafil and dapoxetine — the tablet approved for premature ejaculation — undeclared in sex products sold as natural formulas; see the TGA's hidden-drug warnings.

Look for an AUST L or AUST R number on the pack. If you have taken a product like these, see your doctor or call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26, and take what is left to a pharmacy for safe disposal (TGA).

What does work for premature ejaculation?

Treatments with better trials. The review for Australian GPs lists dapoxetine, antidepressants used off-label, and anaesthetic sprays or creams applied to the penis, which "can increase" the time to ejaculation; the stop-start and squeeze techniques are "of little benefit when used alone" (RACGP). When erection problems come too, the erection is usually treated first — see treatment for premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. The natural steps with trial evidence for erections are in natural remedies for erectile dysfunction.

The short answer

Ayurvedic medicine has one small positive trial for premature ejaculation, worth under a minute, and a negative trial for erectile dysfunction. Some of its sex formulas are among the products the TGA has found to contain lead, mercury or hidden prescription drugs. Every natural option is ranked by evidence in natural alternatives to Viagra.