Tiger nuts benefits sexually: can they boost your sex life?

Tiger nuts' benefits, sexually speaking, have been talked about for thousands of years. But the research behind them isn’t that strong in humans. Here's what the studies actually show, where the evidence runs out, and what that means for you.

Tiger nuts have a long-standing reputation across Egypt and the Middle East as a remedy for male sexual health. Benefits come down to the nutrients in the tubers, including arginine, zinc, vitamin E, quercetin, and monounsaturated fats. These nutrients all play a role in cardiovascular function and hormone health, which explains the lasting interest.

That said, research on the sexual benefits of tiger nuts is mostly limited to animal studies. We'll walk you through what the data shows and where it runs out.

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Tiger nuts have shown aphrodisiac effects in animal studies, but no human trials have confirmed this yet. Their reputation isn’t new. In Arabic-speaking parts of the Middle East, tiger nuts are known as "hab al-zulom," roughly "seeds of men". 

In one study, male rats were given tiger nut powder daily for 30 days. The treated rats began mating earlier and more often than the untreated ones. Their testosterone levels also went up — potentially because tiger nuts contain quercetin, vitamin E, and zinc, all of which have been linked to testosterone production.

A follow-up study involving rats eating tiger nuts and walnuts together found similar results: more sexual activity and higher hormone levels in the tiger nut group than in controls. The combined diet also showed stronger antioxidant activity.

It's promising, but the researchers themselves have called for human trials before drawing any conclusions.

The link between tiger nuts and erectile dysfunction (ED) is currently mostly theoretical. Tiger nuts have been thought to interact with the same pathway that ED medications target. However, this has only been demonstrated in animal studies.

Here’s the deal: Erections depend on nitric oxide, a molecule that helps relax blood vessels and increase blood flow to the penis. ED medications, such as Viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil), help the body respond to nitric oxide effectively, which can help you get and keep an erection. Tiger nuts contain arginine, an amino acid that the body uses to make nitric oxide.

Research in rats found that eating tiger nuts raised nitric oxide levels in penile tissue and made it easier for blood vessels to relax and expand.

Another study tested this in rats with ED. Tiger nuts did help to partially reverse the ED, though not as effectively as sildenafil.

The pathway makes sense on paper, but it hasn't been tested in humans yet. Tiger nuts’ effect on blood flow or erections in people is still speculative.

In rats, yes, tiger nuts boost testosterone. In humans, we don't know yet.

The study that gave rats tiger nut powder for 30 days found that those rats had significantly higher testosterone levels than untreated controls. Researchers hypothesize that this may be due to the quercetin and zinc content acting directly on the cells that produce testosterone.

Meanwhile, in other animal research, rats who consumed a high-salt diet experienced a drop in testosterone levels. But those given tiger nut extract alongside this diet showed less of a loss — likely due to the nuts’ antioxidant activity. 

Alcohol showed a similar pattern. Rats exposed to alcohol who received tiger nut supplementation saw improvements in sperm motility, sperm count, and testosterone levels, with higher doses producing stronger results. This further suggests a protective effect of tiger nuts.

Zinc — one of tiger nuts' main nutrients — does have human evidence supporting its role in testosterone production. But tiger nuts themselves have never been directly tested in a human trial.

Several of the nutrients in tiger nuts can play a role in sexual health, including arginine, zinc, quercetin, monounsaturated fats, and fiber. Each one works on a different system — e.g. blood flow, hormones, gut health. Here’s how. 

Arginine

Arginine is an amino acid the body uses to make nitric oxide, the key molecule behind blood flow to the penis. Tiger nuts have beenconfirmed to contain arginine, though exact amounts vary by preparation.

Zinc

Zinc plays a role in testosterone production. Low levels are linked to reduced testosterone and impaired sperm production. Tiger nuts are anatural source of zinc.

Quercetin

Quercetin is one of the most abundant polyphenols in tiger nuts. It's an antioxidant that may help protect reproductive tissue. Plus, it's been linked to higher testosterone in animal studies.

Monounsaturated fats

Tiger nut oil has a similar fat profile to olive oil, which is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. That kind of cardiovascular support matters for sexual health, too. Good blood flow plays a key role in healthy erections.

Fiber and resistant starch

Tiger nuts are high in fiber and resistant starch, whichslow digestion and help keep blood sugar stable. Poorly controlled blood sugar can have a direct impact on sexual health — men with diabetes have been found to be ~3.5 times more likely to have ED than those without it.

Tiger nuts are widely eaten as a snack, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind before munching on them by the handful.

High fiber content

Tiger nuts are dense in fiber and resistant starch. If you eat too many in one go, especially if your body isn't used to them, you could expect some gas and bloating. 

Start with a small handful and build up gradually.

Contamination risk

Research has found bacterial and parasitic contamination in raw, unpackaged tiger nuts sold at open-air markets. Most of this evidence comes from a Ghanaian study, where the nuts are commonly eaten as a street snack.

Tiger nut products, like other nut and flour products, can be subject to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalls for bacterial contamination, such as Salmonella.

Point being: Stick to reputable commercial brands and avoid unpackaged nuts from unverified sources.

Tiger nuts are a nutritious snack, but there's no clinical evidence that they treat erectile problems. So, if you're dealing with ED, prescription medications called PDE5 inhibitors (e.g. Viagra, Cialis) are commonly considered your best bet (and one of the most well-studied) options for treatment. 

PDE5 inhibitors work by amplifying the effects of nitric oxide in penile tissue. Yes, this is the same pathway tiger nuts research has explored in rats. But these meds come with precise doses and decades of clinical data behind them.

While Viagra and Cialis (and their generic versions, sildenafil and tadalafil) are often first-line treatments for ED, certain PDE5 inhibitors are also available in non-pill formulations. Examples include:

• Ro Sparks*, a sublingual (under-the-tongue) lozenge that contains sildenafil and tadalafil and kicks into action in just 15 minutes (after dissolving)

• Daily Rise Gummies, fruit-flavored gummies made with a daily dose of tadalafil for increased spontaneity and long-lasting effects

Any decision about whether ED medication is appropriate for you should be made with a healthcare provider, who can help you understand your options and prescribe treatment if it’s a fit.

*Though this particular formulation is not FDA-approved, it is composed of active ingredients that have been individually FDA-approved for ED.

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Tiger nuts contain nutrients — specifically, arginine, zinc, quercetin, fiber, and monounsaturated fats — that can play a part in several of the body's key pathways for sexual health. While more human studies are needed, the animal research on tiger nuts' benefits for men is genuinely interesting. Here’s what to know: 

• Tiger nuts may boost sexual motivation and testosterone. Rats given tiger nut powder for 30 days showed both increased sexual motivation and higher testosterone than controls.

• Tiger nuts may also support the same pathway that ED medications target. Tiger nut supplementation raised the levels of nitric oxide in rats’ penile tissue — the same molecule involved in the pathway that ED medications act on.

• Tiger nuts may protect against testicular damage from stressors. Tiger nut supplementation improved sperm quality and testosterone in rats also exposed to high-salt diets and alcohol.

But, again, none of these findings have been shown in humans. So while tiger nuts can be a genuinely nutritious snack, they're not a proven treatment for any sexual health-related issues, including low testosterone or ED.   

Think you’re dealing with these down-there difficulties? Talk with a healthcare provider, such as one affiliated with Ro, about treatment options backed by real human evidence.