Your sex life, your way

Learn how Hims can help

5 Benefits of Guava Leaves Sexually

Angela Sheddan

Reviewed by Angela Sheddan, FNP

Written by Rachel Sacks

Published 04/28/2023

In the search for how to stop erectile dysfunction (ED) or other sexual dysfunction, we may hold out hope for a magical, natural cure-all — one particular food or fruit can cure all our sexual woes.

Unfortunately, a single fruit won’t magically stop sexual dysfunction. While the most effective way to treat ED is through the use of medications like sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra®), eating various foods as part of a balanced diet can help improve your sexual performance and overall well-being.

Guava is a tropical fruit native to Central America. It’s often eaten for dessert or used as a pastry filling. And its leaves have a wide range of health benefits — some of which may even benefit you in the bedroom.

We’ll explore whether there are benefits of guava leaves sexually and other ways this fruit might improve sexual dysfunction.

You may be wondering if there are any benefits of guava leaves sexually.

The benefits of guava leaves sexually aren’t too well-known, as there haven’t been many studies looking at this specific topic. However, these fruits can still be a nutritious addition to your diet — and may affect sexual behavior.

Below, we’ll cover the nutritional profile of guava and guava leaves, as well as the scientific evidence behind their benefits.

Guava is considered both a food and a medicinal plant for a range of health conditions, such as gastrointestinal issues, high blood pressure, diabetes and skin infections.

Not only is the fruit itself edible, but the leaves are also edible and often used as a medicinal plant.

Guavas have a rich nutrient profile, including several antioxidants, vitamins and other essential nutrients, giving them many health benefits. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams of raw guava fruit contain:

  • 68 calories

  • 14.32 grams of carbohydrates

  • 8.92 grams of sugars

  • 0.95 grams of fat

  • 5.4 grams of dietary fiber

  • 417 mg of potassium

  • 228.3 mg of vitamin C

  • 624 international units of vitamin A

Keep reading to learn how nutrient-rich guava fruits and their leaves can benefit your health — and possibly improve sexual performance.

ED Treatment

Read up before getting down

May Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels

Some research suggests that guava may help control blood sugar levels.

Guava leaf extract was found to have significant effects on lowering blood sugar levels in rats in one study.

Meanwhile, guava leaf tea — which contains the aqueous extract or liquid solution of guava leaf — has also been found to reduce blood sugar levels in test tubes and animal studies, as well as in clinical trials on humans.

One study of 19 people found that drinking guava leaf tea made from aqueous extract lowered blood sugar levels after a meal, with the effects lasting up to two hours.

Guava leaf tea was also found to reduce the blood sugar levels of 20 people with type 2 diabetes by more than 10 percent.

This effect of aqueous extract from guava leaf on blood sugar may not only help lower the risk of diabetes — it may also help reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction.

One factor that can increase your risk of erectile dysfunction is chronic health conditions — including diabetes. Eating a healthy diet with fruits that keep your blood sugar levels low can help decrease the risk of developing diabetes or ED.

Might Help Aid Weight Loss

In addition to chronic health conditions like diabetes, significant weight gain or being overweight can be another possible cause of erectile dysfunction along with other sexual dysfunction. Guava and guava leaf extracts may help with weight loss.

With only 68 calories, guava fruits are a filling, low-calorie snack. They also contain around 18 percent of the recommended daily fiber intake.

Additionally, this fruit contains several important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A and vitamin C. So, even though it’s such a low-calorie snack, you won’t lose out on essential nutrients when eating it.

However, specific studies are lacking on whether drinking guava leaf tea or consuming the aqueous extract of guava leaves promotes weight loss.

Could Reduce Erectile Dysfunction

Guavas contain high amounts of certain important vitamins — such as vitamin C.

Vitamin C helps strengthen your immune system, promotes cell growth and repair and helps the body better absorb iron.

A vitamin C deficiency may also contribute to ED. One review noted that vitamin C is one of several vitamins and minerals that support the biochemical pathway leading to the release of nitric oxide. Responsible for relaxing the soft tissue inside your penis, nitric oxide generally allows blood flow to create an erection.

However, additional research is needed to fully understand this connection, along with more clinical trials to determine if guava plant extract specifically has an impact on sexual dysfunction — or could potentially improve sexual performance.

The one-stopsex shop

May Help Reproductive Hormone Levels

Guava extract also contains a high amount of vitamin A, another essential vitamin for improving overall well-being that may benefit reproductive hormone levels.

Vitamin A is essential for many health benefits, including:

  • Immune system functioning

  • Vision

  • Bone health

  • Male and female reproduction

Vitamin A is also necessary for both male and female sex hormones to properly function.

Could Help Reduce Blood Pressure

Consuming guava leaf extract may help lower high blood pressure.

Test tube and animal studies have found that guava leaf aqueous extracts have an antihypertensive effect in rat tissues — meaning they may have the potential to reduce blood pressure.

While keeping blood pressure low is good for your overall health, high blood pressure can also affect sexual intercourse in several ways, including low sex drive and sexual dysfunction. (Our guide on high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction offers more detail on this topic.)

Still, more clinical trials on humans are needed to determine whether guava leaf extract can reduce high blood pressure.

ED Treatment

Your best sex ever

Guava is not only a delicious fruit packed full of important vitamins, but guava leaves may also have several health benefits.

Guava extract contains high levels of vitamins A and C. These antioxidants and citrus compounds are essential for overall health, while test tube and animal studies have found that guava leaf tea made from the aqueous extract might help lower blood sugar and blood pressure — both of which can help improve your sex life.

But although these findings show some promise, more clinical trials on humans are needed to fully understand the benefits of guava leaves sexually.

While the idea that one fruit or plant can stop sexual dysfunction or improve sexual behaviors would be convenient, the truth isn’t as simple as that. And although we've written about the sexual benefits of other foods in hopes to answer searches like, "benefits cloves sexually", it's a broader solution. In the end, traditional medicine combined with other factors like a healthy diet and lifestyle is more likely to reduce sexual dysfunction.

You can learn more about the symptoms of sexual dysfunction disorder in our guide or explore treatment for sexual dysfunction with a healthcare provider online.

14 Sources

  1. Guava | Description, Cultivation, & Related Species | Britannica. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/plant/common-guava
  2. Daswani, P. G., Gholkar, M. S., & Birdi, T. J. (2017). Psidium guajava: A Single Plant for Multiple Health Problems of Rural Indian Population. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 11(22), 167-174. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5628524/
  3. FoodData Central Search Results. (n.d.). FoodData Central. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173044/nutrients
  4. Oh, W. K., Lee, C. H., Lee, M. S., Bae, E. Y., Sohn, C. B., Oh, H., Kim, B. Y., & Ahn, J. S. (2005). Antidiabetic effects of extracts from Psidium guajava. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 96(3), 411-415. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874104004660
  5. Deguchi, Y., & Miyazaki, K. (2009). Anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of guava leaf extract. Nutrition & Metabolism, 7, 9. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2831039/
  6. Symptoms & Causes of Erectile Dysfunction | NIDDK. (n.d.). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/erectile-dysfunction/symptoms-causes
  7. Increasing Fiber Intake | Patient Education. (n.d.). UCSF Health. Retrieved from https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing-fiber-intake
  8. Vitamin C - Health Professional Fact Sheet. (2021, March 26). NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
  9. Meldrum, D. R., Gambone, J. C., Morris, M. A., & Ignarro, L. J. (2010). A multifaceted approach to maximize erectile function and vascular health. Fertility and Sterility, 94(7), 2514-2520. Retrieved from https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(10)00647-3/fulltext
  10. Burnett, A. L. (2006). The Role of Nitric Oxide in Erectile Dysfunction: Implications for Medical Therapy. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 8(Suppl 12), 53-62. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8109295/
  11. Vitamin A and Carotenoids - Health Professional Fact Sheet. (2022, June 15). NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/
  12. Clagett-Dame, M., & Knutson, D. (2011). Vitamin A in Reproduction and Development. Nutrients, 3(4), 385-428. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257687/
  13. Irondi, E. A., Agboola, S. O., Oboh, G., Boligon, A. A., Athayde, M. L., & Shode, F. O. (2016). Guava leaves polyphenolics-rich extract inhibits vital enzymes implicated in gout and hypertension in vitro. Journal of Intercultural Ethnopharmacology, 5(2), 122-130. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4835986/
  14. How High Blood Pressure Can Affect Your Sex Life. (2022, March 4). American Heart Association. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/health-threats-from-high-blood-pressure/how-high-blood-pressure-can-affect-your-sex-life
Editorial Standards

Hims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references. See a mistake? Let us know at [email protected]!

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.

Angela Sheddan, FNP

Dr. Angela Sheddan has been a Family Nurse Practitioner since 2005, practicing in community, urgent and retail health capacities. She has also worked in an operational capacity as an educator for clinical operations for retail clinics. 

She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, her master’s from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. You can find Angela on LinkedIn for more information.


Read more

Related Articles

Put yourself in good hands

Hims connects you with doctor-trusted products so you can have your best sex ever