8 Botanical Ingredients Common in Male Performance Supplements, Explained

If you've compared a few men's performance formulas, you've probably noticed the same handful of ingredient names showing up over and over. That's not a coincidence — a relatively small set of botanicals and compounds have a long history of traditional use in this area, and a body of modern research (of varying size and quality) has followed. Here's a plain-English look at eight of the most common.

Muira Puama Extract

A bark and root native to the Brazilian Amazon, Muira Puama has been used for generations in traditional South American herbal practice. It's one of the most frequently cited botanicals in men's wellness formulas, generally associated with libido and a general sense of vigor.

Maca Extract

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a nutrient-dense root grown at high altitude in the Peruvian Andes, traditionally used as a food staple as well as for its reputed effects on stamina and desire. A systematic review published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found evidence that maca supplementation may improve sexual desire in adults after six or more weeks of consistent use.¹

Catuaba Extract

"Catuaba" actually refers to bark from several different tree species used in Brazilian folk medicine as a general tonic. It's traditionally associated with supporting energy, mood and vitality, and is frequently paired with Muira Puama in South American herbal blends.

L-Arginine

L-Arginine is an amino acid the body converts into nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that plays a central role in relaxing blood vessels and supporting healthy circulation. It's one of the more mechanistically well-understood ingredients on this list. A clinical study published in BJU International examined high-dose oral L-Arginine in men and reported measurable effects related to erectile function.²

Tribulus Terrestris

A flowering plant used across Mediterranean, Indian and Chinese herbal traditions, Tribulus Terrestris is one of the most widely used botanicals in men's supplements globally. A 2017 clinical study published in Maturitas evaluated Tribulus Terrestris in men with sexual dysfunction and reported improvement across several measures tracked.³

Horny Goat Weed (Icariin)

Horny goat weed, from the Epimedium genus, contains icariin as its primary active compound. It has centuries of use in traditional Chinese medicine. Laboratory research published in the Journal of Natural Products has examined icariin derivatives for how they interact with the PDE5 enzyme pathway — the same general pathway targeted by common prescription performance medications, though at a very different scale and mechanism of action.⁴

Ashwagandha

An adaptogenic herb central to Ayurvedic practice for thousands of years, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is widely studied for its role in supporting a healthy stress response. A randomized, placebo-controlled study published in the American Journal of Men's Health found Ashwagandha supplementation was associated with improvements in vitality and certain hormonal markers in aging, overweight men.⁵

Green Tea Extract

Green tea extract is a source of catechins — antioxidant plant compounds — and typically carries a small amount of naturally occurring caffeine. In performance formulas, it's usually included less for a stimulant "kick" and more for a mild boost to alertness and circulatory support that complements the other ingredients.

A note on proprietary blends

Many products, including formulas that use these exact eight ingredients, list them under a single "proprietary blend" with one combined weight rather than breaking out individual amounts. This is common industry practice, but it does mean you generally can't tell how much of any single ingredient you're getting relative to the doses used in the studies above. If that matters to you, look specifically for products that disclose individual ingredient amounts — and read our guide to reading a supplement label for more on what proprietary blends do and don't tell you.

The bottom line

These eight botanicals show up repeatedly across the category because each has a genuine traditional-use history and at least some modern research behind it — not because they're interchangeable filler. Understanding what each one is, and being realistic about what ingredient-level research does and doesn't prove, puts you in a much better position to evaluate any specific product you're considering.