Exclusion criteria
acute genitourinary disorder, neurological or psychiatric disorder, illicit drug abuse, hypotension, gallbladder disease/gallstones/biliary disease, cancer or malignancy, diabetes
HEPATIC DISEASE, ACUTE GENITOURINARY DISORDER, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASE, EVENT, ENDOCRINE DISEASE, BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTROPHY, PHYSICAL DISABILITY, RENAL DISEASE, ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION, CHRONIC PAIN, AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE, DIABETES
Interested volunteers were considered ineligible if they anticipated experiencing a major stressor or life event during the study that may affect their psychological or physical status; if they suffered from a newly diagnosed or unstable medical condition including, but not limited to, diabetes, hyper- or hypotension, cardiovascular disease, a gastrointestinal disease requiring regular use of medication, gallbladder disease/gallstones/biliary disease, autoimmune disease, endocrine disease, renal disease, hepatic disease, genital anatomical deformities, abnormal secondary sexual characteristics, spinal cord injury, benign prostatic hypertrophy, acute genitourinary disorder or history of genital surgery, acute or chronic pain conditions, or cancer or malignancy. Moreover, participants were ineligible if they were diagnosed with a serious neurological or psychiatric disorder, diagnosed with erectile dysfunction, or diagnosed with any physical disability that may limit sexual function. Regularly using nutritional supplements, vitamins, or medications that may influence study measures were also exclusion criteria. Any medication changes in the last 3 months or an expectation of changing medication use during the study also resulted in exclusion from the study. People who reported a current or 12-month history of illicit drug abuse or alcohol intake greater than 14 standard drinks per week were also ineligible to participate in the study. Women who were pregnant, breastfeeding, or intending to fall pregnant were also ineligible. People who experienced significant injuries over the previous 12 months; were hypersensitive to herbs, spices, or dietary supplements; reported any planned major lifestyle change during the study period; or had participated in any other clinical trial in the previous 3 months were also ineligible to participate in the study.