Is Manuka Honey the Best Natural Libido Booster for Men?

EDUCATION

13 minute,
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Essential Takeaways

There's no such thing as 'normal' libido. Our desire for sex changes throughout our lives due to numerous factors, and if it's not compromising your quality of life then there's no reason to feel like you need to change anything.

But if you want your mojo back, there are some great natural things to try first. From foods and drinks to lifestyle changes and addressing relationship issues, it usually takes a combination of different solutions to boost male libido.

Manuka honey not only offers many of the beneficial compounds doctors recommend introducing into your diet, but it also helps your body function optimally in other ways, too. From hormone balancing to better sleep, exercise recovery, and healing, manuka honey could be the natural libido booster for men that you've been searching for.

It's worth being upfront, though: while manuka honey has a well-documented nutritional and chemical profile, no research currently establishes a direct mechanism by which it influences testosterone, libido, or male sexual function specifically³⁰. What follows is educational information, not a product or medical claim.

Libido, or sex drive, has scientists puzzled¹.

Sexual response in the brain, is triggered by the same parts responsible for emotion and motivation. Everyone's experiences and responses are different, making sex drive almost impossible to measure and compare².

So there's no baseline for 'normal' libido. It changes as we age and with things like diet, lifestyle, and mental and physical health.

It's all about knowing what feels normal for you, and accepting when a change might be compromising your quality of life and relationships.

The good news is that this doesn't have to mean taking medication. There are natural libido boosters for men available, as well as the traditional medical treatments.

That's what we'll explore here.

In this guide to using honey as a natural libido booster for men:

The signs of low libido in men
Common treatments for males with low libido
The best natural libido boosters for men
Why you need manuka honey to boost male libido
3 ways to use manuka honey as a natural libido booster
Boost your libido naturally with premium manuka honey
Cautions and important considerations

Keen to get straight to the sweet stuff? Scroll down to "Why you need manuka honey to boost male libido".

The Signs of Low Libido in Males

"Doctors struggle enough to define normal sexual activity, so it would be impossible to say someone has a normal or abnormal sex drive, except perhaps on extremes.

Some people might want sex multiple times a week. Others, once a month or less. Variation is normal because sex drive is influenced by many things. Sex is complicated."

Dr. Bradley Anawalt, endocrinologist at UW Medical Centre³.

There is no such thing as 'normal' male libido⁴.

Unfortunately there are plenty of unhelpful stereotypes around male sexuality that are exacerbated by books, TV, and movies. And these can make men look a little more sex-crazed than they actually are.

Studies have been conducted to determine whether men think about sex all the time and are primarily sex-driven. The evidence shows this to be far from the case, and that everyone is different⁵.

So when it comes to spotting the symptoms of high or low libido, it's important to look inwards at yourself and not at others.

Are you happy with your sex drive? That's all that matters.

These thought-starters should help you answer this question:

Has your libido noticeably changed or remained steady throughout your life?
Has this impacted your life positively, negatively or not much at all?

By answering these questions first, you'll know whether you actually need to change anything.

Here are some of the common causes associated with low male sex drive⁶:

Problems in your relationship.
Stress and anxiety.
Physiological problems like erectile dysfunction.
Decreasing hormone levels, often due to ageing.
Some medications like high blood pressure pills or antidepressants which can block important neurotransmitters relating to sex drive.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Other medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, thyroid issues, and arthritis.

We don't know exactly what drives the male libido, so you'll often see a combination of causes that cover physiological, psychological, and lifestyle factors like those above.

For this reason, many of the recommended treatments are educated guesses and holistic in nature.

Is low libido in men curable?

It really depends on what's causing the change in your sex drive and whether this can be rectified with lifestyle changes alone (or if medication is needed).

Start by looking at your diet and lifestyle, relationships, and stress levels. If these seem to be in check, ask your doctor about potential biological issues and getting a blood test.

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Treatment for Low Libido in Men

So you think you have a low sex drive?

It's a lot more common than you might think. And there are plenty of different things you can try to boost your sex drive again.

From the chemical and medical to the psychological, here are some of the commonly prescribed treatments, along with their pros and cons.

Self-esteem and relationships

Psychological barriers can be serious unconscious or subconscious turn-offs that stop us from enjoying intimate relationships for all sorts of reasons.

There are two key elements here: how you feel about yourself, and how you feel about and interact with others.

Open and honest communication between yourself and your partner can be hard – but liberating. Try to explain what might be blocking you, or suggest therapy together to work on the issues.

The pros of addressing self-esteem and relationships:

If you're in a loving relationship, your partner will likely appreciate your honesty, even if it's hard to hear. It could bring you much closer whilst helping you to increase your desire for sex and intimacy.
Building on self-esteem and communication will have far-reaching impacts across the rest of your life, too. We are fundamentally social creatures and we need healthy connections to live happy, fulfilling lives.

The con of addressing self-esteem and relationships:

This path might feel like the most daunting of all the treatment options. But that might mean you need it the most. Lean on your support system and you might just wish you'd done it years ago.

Diet

A healthy sex drive depends upon a healthy body. We need to fuel ourselves properly for the best chance at appropriate responses to sexual cues and arousal.

A nutrient-rich diet low in trans and saturated fats, sugar and sodium will help to regulate your weight and blood pressure⁷.

The amino acid, arginine, is particularly important for blood flow. It is key to male arousal and performance. You can find arginine in foods like walnuts, almonds, fish, fruit, and vegetables.

Zinc is believed to affect testosterone production, which we know is important for men's health in general. Funnily enough, oysters are the richest food for zinc which might be why they're known as aphrodisiacs⁷.

The pros of changing your diet:

You have full control over what you eat and can change it immediately.
Eating a healthier diet will do wonders for your body in all sorts of ways, not just your sex drive.
You can try eliminating and reintroducing one type of food at a time to see whether there's something specific affecting your biology.

The cons of changing your diet:

It might take a few days or weeks to see any change.
If you're already eating a well-balanced diet then making changes may not solve the problem by itself. You might need a combination of solutions.

Lifestyle

We know that stress can cause all sorts of nasty health problems from high blood pressure to heart disease and diabetes⁸.

You might recognise these three conditions in particular as we've already mentioned how they can also compromise sex drive for men.

It's important to reduce stress in our lives in general, so that we can enjoy it to the fullest and minimise our risk of illness. Exercise is a great way to do this, and is another fundamental aspect of a healthy lifestyle.

The pros of making lifestyle changes:

You have control over your lifestyle and can make changes immediately in most cases.
Lowering stress in your life will have all sorts of benefits, not just to your sex drive.
Exercising more also has wide-ranging benefits from stress reduction⁹ to better sleeping, weight regulation, better mood and increased energy¹⁰.

The cons of making lifestyle changes:

Habits can be hard to break and build, particularly if you're only accountable to yourself. Start small and build over time.
This might be a slower way to go but it's important for your health and wellbeing, so it should be a part of your treatment regardless of the other things you try.

Making healthy lifestyle changes is beneficial in all aspects of our lives, and can certainly translate to improved mental health, self-esteem, and sex drive.

Medication

Medication can be the quickest way to increase male sex drive and help rectify any underlying biological issues that might be getting in the way.

If you are on medication and have experienced a drop in sex drive since taking it, your lower libido could be a side effect. You may want to discuss other options with your physician.

The medication you're prescribed will depend on what's causing your low libido. You might be referred to a urologist or endocrinologist for tests and screenings¹¹, or prescribed hormone therapy to boost testosterone levels.

You can also try branded medications like Viagra to help achieve and maintain an erection.

The pros of using medication:

Easily accessible options are available that don't require a prescription.
Boosting your testosterone levels can have positive impacts on your muscle strength, sleep, sperm production, and fat distribution¹².
Sometimes low sex drive is caused by a negative feedback loop (getting in your head) which can be undone by taking medication temporarily and resetting your relationship with sex.

The cons of using medication:

Some products do require a prescription, so it might take longer to get results.
These products might contain hidden ingredients with other side effects.
Some performance medications can cause side effects like headaches, a bad stomach, muscular pain, and low blood pressure¹³.
Medications won't fix a lack of desire, self-esteem, or willingness to engage in sex. If there are other issues going on, make sure you address those as well.

So there you have it, a quick-stop tour of the main treatments for low male libido.

Although medication is an option, starting with a healthy lifestyle and healthy relationships will make a difference and also positively impact the rest of your life.

And the best part? It's all-natural.

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The Best Natural Libido Boosters for a Man

Ok, time to get specific.

We've talked a bit about the broad treatment options out there to increase libido in men, and how diet and lifestyle are a key part of this journey.

So let's explore the natural compounds to look for in foods that boost the male libido, and one particular ingredient which offers these and more.

Flavonoids

Found in: leafy greens, berries, onions, apples, dark chocolate, grapes, tomatoes, tea, red wine, and honey¹⁴.

Flavonoids are beneficial natural compounds mostly found in fruits and vegetables. There are 6 different types and our bodies use them in different ways, usually helping us to fight off toxins and stay healthy¹⁵.

Flavonoids are important for regulating weight and blood flow, reducing risk of heart disease and diabetes, and may even help to reduce erectile dysfunction¹⁶.

It's worth noting that flavonoid-rich foods, including honey, also show measurable antioxidant capacity when tested in standardised laboratory chemical assays, and this capacity correlates with factors like UMF grade and phenolic content in manuka honey specifically³¹. However, this is a chemistry-bench measurement of the honey's reducing power in a test tube — it's not the same as proof that consuming the honey produces an antioxidant effect inside the human body, and no research reviewed here connects this property to libido, testosterone, or sexual function³¹.

Amino acids (particularly arginine)

Found in: meat, fish, nuts and seeds, legumes, whole grains, dairy products¹⁷ and honey¹⁸.

L-arginine is an amino acid – a building block for protein which is most associated with good circulation¹⁹.

People often boost their arginine intake to manage things like high blood pressure, chest pain, and erectile dysfunction.

Our bodies need all sorts of amino acids to do different jobs in the body. So it's important to get a good variety into your diet as well as arginine²⁰.

Good fats

Found in: avocado, fish, vegetable oils, flaxseed, eggs, nut butter²¹.

It's believed that the word 'avocado' comes from the ancient Aztec word, 'ahuácatl', meaning 'testicle'²² so it's no wonder that these creamy fruits are considered aphrodisiacs.

Good fats are important for blood flow and for preventing the buildup of plaque so that our hearts (and other parts) can function when we need them to²³.

Nitrates

Found in: root vegetables, beetroot, leafy greens, garlic, pine nuts, watermelon²⁴, and honey²⁵.

When aroused, the brain sends signals to boost nitric oxide levels which helps drive blood to the penis, so a good nitrate supply can help to smooth the process²⁶.

You'll notice that vegetables feature in most of the lists above which probably isn't a big surprise. But so does honey.

Manuka honey contains flavonoids²⁷, amino acids (including arginine¹⁸), and nitrates²⁵, giving you a delicious libido-boosting superfood all in one jar.

But that's not all it can do.

There's a reason why some people consider manuka honey a good friend to overall wellness, including the lifestyle factors that support a healthy libido — though, as we'll cover shortly, the direct link between manuka honey and libido specifically hasn't been established in clinical research³⁰ ³².

Why You Need Manuka Honey for Male Libido

If, by now, you think you need a bit of a wellness overhaul to boost your low libido, then manuka honey is a fantastic place to start as part of a broader, balanced approach — though it's important to be clear-eyed about what the science does and doesn't say.

This one ingredient offers around 2,000 natural compounds that help to give your body the nutritional building blocks it needs. Manuka honey's well-known antibacterial reputation, for instance, is chemically explained by its high methylglyoxal (MGO) content — a compound that has been rigorously identified and quantified in laboratory analysis³⁰. But that chemical characterisation is specific to antibacterial activity; it does not extend to any demonstrated effect on hormones or libido, and no cited research has tested such a link³⁰.

It addresses the healthy diet and lifestyle elements that can support low male libido indirectly. By doing so, it may also help to support your self-esteem and confidence in facing relationship struggles, simply by contributing to a healthier overall routine.

Manuka honey brings many of the natural compounds together that we know are associated with sexual health and performance in a general nutritional sense.
Manuka honey has been studied in relation to testosterone, sperm production, count, and motility in some research²⁸, though this remains an emerging area and shouldn't be read as an established, direct effect.
Manuka honey offers antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that are well documented compared with other honeys. Interestingly, laboratory (in-vitro) research has also shown that methylglyoxal from manuka honey can enhance the activity of a specific type of immune cell known as MAIT cells³³. This is an early-stage, cell-culture finding — it hasn't been demonstrated in living humans, and it has no established connection to libido or sexual function³³.
Manuka honey is often discussed in the context of blood sugar regulation and feelings of fullness, which some people find useful for weight management — an important factor in general sexual health. That said, the most relevant human trial available on oral manuka honey consumption (20 healthy adults, aged 42–64, taking 20g daily of UMF 20+ manuka honey for 4 weeks) found it was safe, but did not measurably alter immune markers, gut bacteria, or glycation end-products compared with a standard multiflora honey control³⁴. That same trial found no measurable improvement in beneficial gut bacteria, despite popular claims about honey and digestive health — a useful reminder to be cautious before extending broad 'gut health' or systemic wellness claims to specific outcomes like libido³⁵. Importantly, this trial did not assess libido, hormones, or sexual function at all, so its findings can't be used to support or refute those specific claims either way³⁴.
Manuka honey is also widely discussed for easing conditions that don't make us feel particularly sexy, like fungal infections, stomach problems, colds, and skin complaints. These are separate topics from libido and should be considered on their own evidentiary merits.

Not only may manuka honey offer your body some of the natural compounds associated with feeling nourished, but as part of a balanced lifestyle it may help you feel rested, refreshed, energised, and ready to tackle your day — all indirect contributors to wellbeing, rather than a direct, proven libido treatment.

And these ideas about honey are centuries old. The Ancient Greeks and Egyptians made honey elixirs to take before having sex too²⁸ — a fascinating piece of history, though tradition alone isn't clinical evidence.

In fact, a recent 2024 review of manuka honey's functional ingredients explicitly flags that many of the popularly marketed 'implied benefits' of the product remain scientifically controversial and are not fully substantiated by current evidence, alongside unresolved questions about grading and safety standards across the industry³². This is directly relevant to any claims made about libido or sexual health specifically, which are not evaluated at all in the reviewed literature³².

There is one low libido treatment that manuka honey doesn't address however: medication.

So if you're looking for questionable ingredients and iffy side effects, you won't find them here — but you also won't find a substitute for professional medical advice if you're experiencing a persistent change in libido.

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3 Ways to Use Manuka Honey as a Natural Libido Booster for Men

The best way to get all the benefits from your manuka honey is to eat it raw off the spoon!

But just in case you're feeling more adventurous, here are some recipes that combine manuka honey with other libido-boosting ingredients for your next romantic night in.

Baked chicken in manuka honey mustard with a leafy green salad

Our baked manuka honey mustard chicken recipe is as simple as it is delicious. Chicken is a low-fat meat supplying those essential amino acids, so by combining this with the flavonoids of manuka honey and some leafy greens on the side, you're covering all bases.

Why not serve with some sliced avocado and pine nuts for extra nutrients and texture?

A sweet and healthy manuka honey snack on the go

Make your own manuka honey chews for a healthy on-the-go snack. This recipe is designed to be customised, so you can add things like flaxseed, nut butter and berries to maximise the feel-good sexy appeal. These chews make great pre- and post-workout snacks, too.

Delectable dark chocolate with manuka honey

The richness of chocolate has been long-associated with pleasure, and there is evidence to support this link. Chocolate has been shown to boost serotonin levels, the feel-good hormone²⁹. So with the flavonoids on top, you're onto a winner.

Our manuka honey dark chocolate recipe can be adapted to suit your deepest desires and even used in creative ways in the bedroom…****

Boost Your Libido Naturally with Premium Manuka Honey

Manuka honey contains more antibacterial properties than other types of honey, so to protect its integrity, it has a dedicated grading system.

UMF™-grade manuka honeys have been tested for their antibacterial potency as well as their authenticity and freshness. The higher the grade, the more antibacterial the batch of honey.

Not all manuka honeys are graded with this system, so to ensure that you get a genuine product with all the qualities discussed here, opt for UMF™-graded honey like ours.

All our manuka honeys are rigorously and independently tested, and certified non-GMO, glyphosate free, Halal, and Kosher.

By choosing New Zealand Honey Co. manuka honey, you can trust that your body is getting a genuine, well-tested product — even as we encourage you to keep expectations grounded in what's actually been studied.

We only deal in real.

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Cautions and Important Considerations

We want this guide to be genuinely useful, so it's important to be transparent about the limits of the evidence and some safety considerations before you make any changes to your diet or routine:

This page is for general health information only and does not constitute medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or manage any medical condition, including sexual dysfunction or low libido. Speak to a qualified clinician for personalised guidance.
No claim on this page states or implies that manuka honey is a 'best' or effective libido booster, testosterone enhancer, or treatment for male sexual function. Current evidence does not support such claims, and this framing is explicitly rejected by the underlying research reviewed.
Manuka honey must never be given to infants under 12 months of age, due to the risk of infant botulism. This is an absolute contraindication.
Food-grade manuka honey (as discussed on this page) is distinct from medical-grade manuka honey used in clinical wound dressings; findings about one should not be assumed to apply to the other.
People with diabetes or blood-sugar-management needs should be aware that manuka honey is a sugar-containing product and may affect blood glucose; consult a clinician or diabetes educator before adding it to your diet.
People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consult a clinician before making changes to diet or supplement use based on content covered here.
If you are experiencing persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms related to sexual health, hormone levels, or general wellbeing, please consult a qualified healthcare professional rather than relying on self-directed remedies.

DISCLAIMER: Sale Excludes MGO 50+, UMF 10+, UMF 28+, and Manuka Honey Spoon. Offer valid until 7th July. Valid while stocks last. The discount code can only be used once per customer and is non-transferable. Cannot be combined with other offers. Items purchased with this discount are subject to our standard return policy.

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References

Elvira Mavric, Silvia Wittmann, Gerold Barth, Thomas Henle (2008). Identification and quantification of methylglyoxal as the dominant antibacterial constituent of Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honeys from New Zealand. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. doi:10.1002/mnfr.200700282
Wallace A, Eady S, Miles M, Martin H, McLachlan A, Rodier M, Willis J, Scott R, Sutherland J (2010). Demonstrating the safety of manuka honey UMF 20+in a human clinical trial with healthy individuals. The British journal of nutrition. doi:10.1017/s0007114509992777
Wang S, Qiu Y, Zhu F (2024). An updated review of functional ingredients of Manuka honey and their value-added innovations. Food chemistry. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.138060
Tang J, Compton B, Marshall A, Anderson R, Li Y, van der Woude H, Hermans I, Painter G, Gasser O (2020). Mānuka honey-derived methylglyoxal enhances microbial sensing by mucosal-associated invariant T cells. Food & function. doi:10.1039/d0fo01153c
Amparo Angelica S. Bolanos de la Torre, Terence Henderson, Poonam Singh Nee Nigam, Richard Owusu-Apenten (2014). A universally calibrated microplate ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay for foods and applications to Manuka honey. Food Chemistry. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.11.009

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