WE have seen bacon-flavoured condoms and vibrators shaped like a rubber duck –
but the latest innovation to boost your sex life is a bowl of cereal.
Created by a team of US scientists, it promises to boost libido – important
given one in five Brits have problems with their sex drive at some point.
Whether it is stress, diet or illness that is to blame, there could be a new
way to give you a lift.
Sex Cereal (£9.99) has two formulas, one for men and one for women.
So how does it work?
Both contain a range of organic ingredients, from goji berries and chia seeds,
to ground ginger and maca powder, as well as iron and Omega-3 — and it is
designed to help balance hormone levels and boost desire.
This week in Me, CHRISTINA EARLE speaks to two couples who try it out.
‘Taste didn’t put me in mood’
CANCER survivor Simon Buckden, 41, and Louisa Rodriguez, 29, have been
together 18 months. The couple, who run a post traumatic stress disorder
awareness group, live in Leeds, but they rarely have sex. Simon says:
“I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2005 after witnessing
a lot of atrocities in the Army.
I’d fought in the Gulf War, Bosnia and I’d been to Northern Ireland and
Rwanda.
Things that happened to me there — including having a child die in my arms —
meant I am only a shell of the person I used to be.
Not only does it affect my day-to-day life, with terrible flashbacks, aches
and pains, nightmares and mood swings, but it affects my sex life too.
When I was in the Army I had lots of sex with different women. It was part of
the Army lifestyle. I enjoyed sex then.
Although Louisa is the love of my life, I don’t feel emotion like I used to.
I don’t have any problems physically in getting aroused, but I feel
emotionally numb so I don’t enjoy it.
Because of that, I rarely have the urge to have sex. But when we do I feel
alive, rather than the numbness I feel in my everyday life, so it’s really
good.
I was also diagnosed with rectal cancer last year and I had to have
radiotherapy which hasn’t done wonders for my sex drive.
I was sceptical about the Sex Cereal but I remained hopeful it would do
something for me.
The taste didn’t exactly put me in the mood. It was dry and tasted like
something you’d feed your rabbit.
It was a struggle to force each spoonful down but I hoped it would work.
So far I’ve had no results in the bedroom. I’ve still felt no desire for sex.
I will keep eating it in case it needs more time to work.
Even if it doesn’t, I’m hopeful all the healthy ingredients and antioxidants
will help my health.
Louisa says:
“Simon and I got together in the middle of his cancer battle.
We fell for each other pretty quickly and, after one coffee together and a
dinner date, we hooked up.
We have had our ups and downs because of his mental health but I still love
him.
We rarely have sex but, when we do, it’s really good. But it would be a bonus
if we could do it more. I really liked the idea of the cereal and hoped it
would work.
But I was really disappointed with the taste. I’m used to smooth, creamy
porridge and the Sex Cereal was really dry.
The only way I could stomach it was by sprinkling it on my porridge. It was
too unbearable to eat on its own.
I didn’t notice any changes at first but, after a few days, I did feel like I
had more energy.
Normally I’d have an energy slump before lunch but the Sex Cereal seemed to
keep me going, meaning I could concentrate for longer and fit more into my
day.
I’m still waiting to see if it will have any impact on my sex drive.
I was hoping it would do something for Simon. I will make sure we finish the
packs, just in case it hits us later down the line.”
‘She got more flirty and sex was intense’
MUM Kerry Dyer, 22, and sales executive Warren Conway, 25, have been
together for three years. The couple have an 11-month-old daughter, Sienna,
and live in Gillingham, Somerset. Kerry says:
“Until I fell pregnant with Sienna, I had, what I thought, was a normal sex
drive.
We’d have sex two or three times a week and we both seemed satisfied with
that.
But it was my pregnancy that changed things.
I suffered horrendous morning sickness and was so sick, I couldn’t get out of
bed for around five months.
Because I felt so ill, I felt really unattractive.
Even when I felt better, around six months in, I felt too big to consider sex.
Things went downhill from there really.
Although we both loved being parents, the sleepless nights and regular feeds
and changes really took their toll on me.
I was too tired to even think about having sex.
I found myself giving in to Warren about once a week just because I felt like
I had to. I wanted to keep him happy.
Although I enjoyed it when we got down to it, he had to put some serious
effort into coaxing me to do it.
I always felt like he was nagging me to do it and it was often easier just to
do it than say no.
When I first opened the cereal, I was hopeful it would help.
I usually have granola or muesli for breakfast with almond milk and Sex Cereal
tasted quite similar.
I just dished it up in a bowl like my usual cereal and couldn’t really tell it
was any different.
I was impressed by the amounts of vitamins and minerals in it and felt like it
was a good start to my day.
It kept me energised for longer and, after a few days, I felt like it was
working. I suddenly felt sexier again.
For the first time since before I fell pregnant, I wanted to kiss and have sex
with Warren — I feel like I’ve got my mojo back.
I have thought about having sex nearly every day since starting eating the
cereal for breakfast.
I’m initiating sex more and am enjoying it too.
It may sound daft but I almost feel like it’s given me a reason to be sexy
again.
Warren absolutely loves it and wants me to keep having it.
I think the Sex Cereal will be a permanent addition to my life.
I won’t be getting rid of it in a hurry — it makes me feel alive again.”
Warren says:
“Kerry lost interest in sex when she was pregnant with Sienna and I completely
understand why.
She didn’t have the easiest of pregnancies.
Even after our daughter was born she struggled to have time to do all the
things she loved and look after a newborn.
Kerry often pushed me away when I wanted sex with her.
I have quite a high libido but it was frustrating at times.
I was hopeful the cereal would make a difference to her sex drive and bring it
back to what it used to be.
We always used to have a healthy sex life and, when we first got together,
couldn’t get enough of each other.
After a few days, I noticed a real difference in Kerry.
She paid me more attention and was a lot more flirtatious around me. It felt
like we’d got back together again.
The sex we had was intense and I enjoyed it very much. That’s mainly because
it wasn’t me who instigated it, for a change.
The cereal didn’t taste much different to my regular brand, I don’t think it
did much for me.
But I don’t really need a helping hand when it comes to wanting sex more.
I’m just pleased Kerry will finally be able to keep up with me. I’ll be buying
Sex Cereal in in bulk for her.”
…And 7 libido uppers
PomeGreat Ambient pomegranate juice, from £1.50, supermarkets nationwide
– This drink encourages the stimulation of testosterone which could boost
your sex drive, according to a study by Queen Margaret University in
Edinburgh.
Ultimate-X Erection Enhancement, £20 (four capsules),
– A herbal formula which claims to maximise virility. It reckons users will
experience a stronger erection, more sensation and a better orgasm.
Super Eleven shake, £39.99 (300g),
– Packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, this shake claims to
boost arousal and satisfaction from sex when consumed over a 30-day period.
Femergy Original Energy Formula, £9.18 (60 capsules),
– A combination of Peruvian maca, Brazilian ginseng and ginkgo biloba, it is
said to help maintain energy and sexual alertness.
Alibi Health Drink, £1.59, Ocado – This health drink claims to be
revitalising, and could put you in the mood. It contains 19 nutrients per
can, including 100 per cent of the RDA of essential vitamins such as C, D
and B12.
BeetActive, £5.99, Holland & Barrett – Created using the juice
of 30 beetroots, this salad dressing contains dietary nitrate, which helps
blood flow. It’s said to help produce sex hormone oestrogen and boost libido
in men and women.
T MALE by Nature’s Plus, £25.50 (60 tablets),
– This supplement contains ingredients such as zinc, selenium and calcium,
all key for the production of testosterone and healthy sperm. It claims to
boost libido, energy and mood.
– Sex Cereal is available exclusively from firebox.com for £9.99.