L-Arginine is a form of arginine, and is one of the 20 common amino acids. L-Arginine has many natural sources. Since the body may not produce sufficient amounts, individuals with poor nutrition or some other conditions may benefit from eating more foods containing L-Arginine. L-Arginine assists the body in cell division, healing wounds, immune function, removal of ammonia, and releasing hormones. Along with these, it has many other health benefits.

Arginine plays an important role in cell division, the healing of wounds, removing ammonia from the body, immune function, and the release of hormones. Arginine, taken in combination with ginseng or yohimbine, has also been used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.

The benefits and functions attributed to oral ingestion of L-arginine include: Stimulation of the release of the most important anti-aging hormone in the body, growth hormone. Improves immune function. Reduces healing time of injuries (particularly bone). Reduces risk of heart disease. Increases muscle mass. Reduces adipose tissue body fat. Helps improve insulin sensitivity. Helps decrease blood pressure. Alleviates male infertility, improving sperm production and motility. Increases circulation throughout the body, including the sex organs.

The herb Rhodiola rosea has been used traditionally in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and other European countries as a “tonic herb,” said to fight fatigue, aid convalescence from illness, prevent infections, and enhance sexual function. In the twentieth century, Soviet physicians classified rhodiola as an adaptogen . This invented term refers to a hypothetical treatment described as follows: An adaptogen helps the body adapt to stresses of various kinds, whether heat, cold, exertion, trauma, sleep deprivation, toxic exposure, radiation, infection, or psychological stress.

Perhaps the only indisputable example of an adaptogen is a healthful lifestyle. By eating right, exercising regularly, and generally living a life of balance and moderation, you will increase your physical fitness and ability to resist illnesses of all types. Multivitamin/multimineral supplements could offer similarly general benefits, at least in people whose diet is deficient in basic nutrients. Whether there are any herbs that offer adaptogenic benefits, however, remains unproven (and somewhat unlikely). Nonetheless, advocates of the adaptogen concept believe that rhodiola (as well as ginseng , suma, ashwagandha , reishi , and several other herbs) have this property.

Rhodiola is currently marketed as the “new ginseng,” said to fight fatigue , enhance mental function , increase general wellness , improve sports performance, and enhance sex drive in both men and women .

Cistanche or Rou Cong Rong

The dried fleshy stems of Cistanche deserticola in known in China as Rou Cong Rong. In Japan, the species used is Cistanche salsa. Rou cong rong also grows in Mongolia. According to one Chinese researcher, Rou Cong Rong is one of the commonly used drugs in Chinese traditional medicine. It is used to reinforce the vital function of kidney and to influence fertility, leukorrhea and metrorrhagia in women.

Several compounds have been isolated from Cistanche deserticola including cistanosides, beta-sitosterol, tubuloside, daucosterol, succinic acid, triacontanol, acteoside, betaine phenylethanoid glycosides, and polysaccharose.

Studies in rodents show that administration of Rou cong rong improves energy levels. Mice given Rou cong rong are able to swim for longer periods. Many of the compounds found in Rou cong rong have antioxidant properties and protect the liver from toxins.

Lycium

Lycium or Wolfberry is also another name for the western snowberry or Symphoricarpos occidentalis , Wolfberry is the common name for the fruit of two very closely related species: Lycium barbarum Although its original habitat is obscure (probably southeastern Europe to southwest Asia), wolfberry species currently grow in many world regions. Only in China, however, is there significant commercial cultivation.

Renowned in Asia as a highly nutritious food, wolfberries have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for about 1,900 years (Gross et al., 2006). Their undocumented legend, however, is considerably older, as wolfberries are often linked in Chinese lore to Shen Nung (Shennong), China's legendary First Emperor, mythical father of agriculture, and herbalist who lived circa 2,800 BC.

Since the early 21st century in the United States and other such developed countries, there has been rapidly growing recognition of wolfberries for their nutrient richness and antioxidant qualities.

Wolfberry species are deciduous woody perennial plants, growing 1-3 m high. L. chinense is grown in the south of China and tends to be somewhat shorter, while L. barbarum is grown in the north, primarily in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and tends to be somewhat taller.

Cnidium

Cnidium is a variety of Carrot unknown to most Americans; Cnidium monnieri is a leafy annual with flowers that grow in clusters. The herb has been a popular remedy in Asian folk medicine for millennia, being first described about 2,000 years ago in the Chinese herbal classic Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing. The seeds, which are also referred as she chuang zi or she chuang dze, are somewhat yellow in color and have a sweet smell. Cnidium is native to China, where it may be found growing on field edges, in ditches and waste places in most of the country. It also grows in Korea, Mongolia and Russia. Cnidium has been introduced to the United States (Oregon) and Europe.

For thousands of years, Chinese herbalists have prescribed Cnidium seeds to treat skin problems such as acne, eczema and ringworm, and for use as an aphrodisiac. Cnidium seeds can also be taken internally to treat vaginal discharges and to increase sexual potency. Cnidium is often combined with other herbs to help treat infertility and impotence.

Cnidium Monnieri naturally increases nitric oxide release, which powerfully increases the production of cGMP. Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) is the key in obtaining and sustaining a powerful erection. cGMP relaxes the muscles around the penis, which makes it possible for the cells in the penis to take in blood, thus allows you to experience a proper erection. It is not a know fact, but the woman’s clitoris contains the very same erectile tissue as the male penis. Without proper blood flow to the clitoris the woman’s sexual experience can and will be greatly diminished. The Chinese still use the seeds as an aphrodisiac, and animal studies indicate it may improve bone strength.

Tienchi Ginseng Root

Has a close similarity to Panax ginseng, known to the Chinese by "the miracle root for the preservation of health." One of the best health preserving herbs known to man.

One of China's most famous herbalist, Li Chih Shen, said that "Tienchi is more valuable then gold." It has long been recognized as one of China's best tonic herbs for building the blood, improving the circulation and preventing anxiety.