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The benefits of mucuna pruriens are numerous.
The amazing herbal adaptogen that is mucuna pruriens is well known for it's wide range of tonifying, strengthening and all around beneficial properties. Perhaps it is best known as a potent herbal aphrodisiac. This Indian herb is known by many names, some of which are cowitch, cowhage, velvet beans, sea beans, buffalo beans, Kapikachu, Atmagupta and many more! The prickly orange hairs on the outside of the pod cause severe itching when they come in contact with the skin. The doctrine of signatures can give us a clue here since the velvet bean's pods can be used to treat snake bite! The main medicinal effects attributed to mucuna pruriens come from the seeds, but the pod and its hairs and the plant's roots can also be used in herbal preparations. The velvet beans are "drift seeds", which is a name given to any seeds that can float away on ocean currents to grow in other regions of the world. Traditional properties:~Sweet, bitter and hot ~Heavy and unctuous (oily or greasing quality) ~Balancing to all three doshas! (a rare quality even amongst herbal adaptogens, ginseng and gotu kola are also known for this) ~Builds fertility in men (Increases semen volume, sperm count and sperm motility, better double up boys...) ~Very potent at increasing libido for both men and women ~Treats leucorrhoea (vaginal discharge), menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding) and spermatorrhoea (involuntary ejaculation) which are all signs of leakage of Jing/Ojas, which is the foundational essence of health ~Helps men last longer sexually ~Used to build muscle in those who are weak ~Helps women increase lactation when breastfeeding ~Prevents and or lowers the effects of poisonous snake bites ~Treats Parkinson's disease ~Treats depression ~Treats insomnia and generally deepens sleep ~The hairs on the mucuna pod are used to treat several species of parasitic worms (excluding tapeworms) ~Helps digestion without increasing pitta (fire) Scientific properties:
Mucuna pruriens contains 40mg/g of a compound called L-DOPA which is a direct precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine works as one of the best natural hgh releasers (human growth hormone) by stimulating the pituitary gland to increase it's production. High levels throughout life of the body's own natural growth hormone (not hormones from the synthetic injections) is known as a major key for human longevity. Dopamine also increases other youth hormones such as testosterone (it must be mentioned that these increases are never throwing the endocrine system out of balance, merely improving levels which tend to decrease over time in the average person). These resulting increased levels of these hormones from the use of mucuna pruriens extracts, powders and/or raw herbs explains its association with increasing libido, fertility, lean muscle mass, reducing signs of aging such as wrinkles and body fat, increasing bone density and even boosting overall energy levels. Animal studies have shown powerful results such as a ten fold increase in mounting frequency by male rats! Also a decrease in post ejaculatory intervals have been observed, meaning that the animals being studied are more quickly able to return to "the task at hand". This could be due to the fact that mucuna pruriens extract basically cures premature ejaculation and the amount of downtown between ejaculations by reducing hypersensitivity in the genitals. L-DOPA from mucuna pruriens has been shown to be safer and more effective for controlling Parkinson's disease than the pharmaceutical drugs Levodopa and Carbidopa. This is because the vast array of other chemical constituents that accompany L-DOPA in the unprocessed plant also play a role in its ability to manage Parkinson's disease. Since Parkinson's is in large part a deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine, this adaptogenic herb is crucial for anyone looking to manage this disease. It also looks to be very promising as a treatment for recovering drug addicts and people suffering from depression related illness, since these people have deficiencies of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine (which the velvet beans contain and help balance in the human body).
These are some of the reasons you might want to consider using this adaptogenic herbal aphrodisiac.The anti-snake venom effect of mucuna pruriens extract makes it a great tonic herb for outdoor enthusiasts to take daily. A variety of toxins from snake venom have been found to be reduced or prevented by the supplementation of this herb. Of course, one has to be taking it for it to work and it's best taken all the time since snake bites are completely unpredictable, yet obviously a risk for anyone poking around in the woods and other environments where these creatures hang out. Enhanced lucid dreaming effects have been reported with the use of this amazing herb. Other chemicals in addition to L-DOPA found in mucuna pruriens that can have a mind altering effect include serotonin (5HT), oxitriptan (5-HTP), nicotine, N,N-DMT, bufotenin (5-HO-DMT) and 5-MeO-DMT. These would explain its noted effects as an entheogenic substance often found in Ayahuasca preparations (an Amazonian psychedelic shamanic herbal preparation). Do not be alarmed however, these chemicals are not in present in high enough quantities to cause "reality altering" effects, unless the herb happens to be combined with a sufficient amount of an MAOI ;) This herbal adaptogen can also be used by anyone simply wanting to have fun. The abundance of bliss chemicals combined with the velvet beans adept ability at helping men last longer sexually and increasing libido for both genders makes this a safe and hilariously fun herb to use recreationally. It is also quickly becoming popular as a natural bodybuilding hgh secretagogue. This is much safer to use than synthetic human growth hormone which is quickly gaining a reputation as a carcinogenic "steroid-like" performance enhancer. The great thing with this herb is that it gets your body to make growth hormone itself and thus control the amount it makes and avoid the problems associated with elevated levels of hgh. 
One of the most important secrets of longevity is maintaining optimal levels of key hormones as well as other phytochemical factors in your bloodstream. This article has already covered how mucuna pruriens is a natural growth hormone secretagogue (hgh) as well as a booster of other hormones of youth that tend to diminish with time. It has been found that blood plasma levels of some of the top antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (an enzyme that prevents your hair from going gray!), glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are kept elevated in those who take this adaptogenic herbal aphrodisiac. The powerful benefits of mucuna pruriens extract and whole herb should be temporarily avoided while pregnant or suffering from diabetes (it has blood sugar lowering properties). It should also be avoided by anyone with schizophrenia. If you choose to use adaptogenic herbs to manage or reverse any disease or disorder, always work with a knowledgeable health care practitioner. There is no specifically determined dosage for this herbal aphrodisiac, however most people agree on 15-30 grams a day for adults as a safe and effective amount. Sources: ~http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/nem171
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