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Damiana

Supplement botanical men's health
Aka: Turnera diffusa
Brands seen in Singapore: Swanson Vitamins, Nature's Way, Nature's Answer, Solaray, Oregon's Wild Harvest
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
Traditional aphrodisiac — human data is a 3-herb blend
Pros & cons
Pros
  • No human psychiatric or neurological reports found
  • Centuries of traditional use as a stimulant
Cons
  • Not among the 8 ed ingredients with RCT evidence
  • The one human trial tested a 3-herb blend, not damiana
  • SG bars sexual-dysfunction and obesity claims
Sources
  1. Pharmacology of Herbal Sexual Enhancers: A Review of Psychiatric and Neurological Adverse Effects (Cinquina et al., Pharmaceuticals 2020) — discussion of Turnera diffusa · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “damiana (Turnera diffusa Willd. Ex. Schult.) … has been traditionally used for centuries as a stimulant and aphrodisiac, to spark male sexual drive and increase performance, and is still widely marketed”
  2. Cinquina et al., Pharmaceuticals 2020 — adverse-effect search result for Turnera diffusa (source's own spelling 'damania' preserved) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “No relevant reports were found for A. Mexicana, E. longifolia, L. meyenii, T. diffusa, V. africana, and W. somnifera … no psychiatric or neurological side effects related to damania were reported.”
  3. Weight loss and delayed gastric emptying following a South American herbal preparation in overweight patients (Andersen & Fogh, Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 2001) — abstract via Europe PMC · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “One such mixed herbal preparation is 'YGD' containing Yerbe Maté (leaves of Ilex paraguayenis), Guarana (seeds of Paullinia cupana) and Damiana (leaves of Turnera diffusa var. aphrodisiaca).”
  4. Andersen & Fogh, Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 2001 — results and dosing of the YGD combination · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “three capsules of YGD capsules before each main meal for 45 days … Body weight reductions were … 5.1 +/- 0.5 kg after PGD capsules compared to 0.3 +/- 0.08 kg after placebo over 45 days”
  5. Dietary Supplements for Erectile Dysfunction: Analysis of Marketed Products, Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Rational Use (Barbonetti et al., Nutrients 2023) — results · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “A total of 41 different active ingredients were used by manufacturers … Based on the literature analysis, we found that 33 out of the 41 ingredients had no reported efficacy on ED.”
  6. Barbonetti et al., Nutrients 2023 — the eight ingredients with recognised clinical evidence of efficacy (Turnera diffusa is catalogued in Table 1 but is not among these eight) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “six EIs with evidence of efficacy were supported by at least two RCTs, namely, Eurycoma longifolia, Panax ginseng, L-arginine, Corynanthe yohimbe, Tribulus terrestris and Pinus pinaster. The remaining two EIs, namely, Crocus sativus and Withania somnifera”
  7. HSA Singapore — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (October 2025), Annex A (118 rows) and Annex B (4 rows) — damiana / Turnera diffusa is NOT LISTED in either annex; Annex A runs 36. Croton tiglium then 37. Danthron, and 103. Symphytum asperum then 104. Urginea maritima, where 'Damiana' and 'Turnera' rows would fall · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list.”
  8. HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. No. 020 (January 2026), clause 4.8 with Tables 4–5 (vitamins and minerals only — no botanical rows) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “4.8 HS for use by the general adult population should not contain vitamins and minerals exceeding the stipulated limits stated in Tables 4 and 5.”
  9. HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. No. 020 (January 2026), clause 6.6 and Table 6 (diseases/conditions not allowed for health supplements), reproductive-system row · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “HS must not be labelled, advertised or promoted for any specific medicinal purpose … Reproductive system: Menstrual disorders, sexual dysfunction, infertility, frigidity, impotency, conception, pregnancy”
  10. HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. No. 020 (January 2026), Table 6, metabolic-system row · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Metabolic system Obesity, gout”
  11. iHerb Singapore — Damiana category page, default listing order · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “1 - 7 of 7 results: Swanson Vitamins, Full Spectrum Damiana 510 mg; Nature's Way, Damiana Leaves; Nature's Answer, Damiana Extract Alcohol-Free; Solaray, True Herbs Damiana 370 mg; Nature's Answer, Damiana; Oregon's Wild Harvest, Damiana”
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Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.