Search for “timing badhane ki desi dawa” and you will find capsules, churnas and oils promising 30 minutes or more.
For the full picture of men’s sexual health, see our guide to men’s sexual health in India.
Herb by herb: what the trials show
A systematic review of complementary treatments for premature ejaculation found only one randomised trial of Ayurvedic herbal medicine. In it, the herbal group lasted 0.80 minutes (under a minute) longer than the placebo group, and the reviewers rated the risk of bias as unclear. The American (AUA/Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA)) guideline concluded there are too few high-quality studies to support any herbal treatment for premature ejaculation, Ayurvedic remedies included.
| Herb | Best human evidence we found | Shown to delay ejaculation? |
|---|---|---|
| Ashwagandha | Small trials on desire and testosterone; no benefit for erection problems caused by anxiety | No |
| Shilajit | Small trials on testosterone and sperm count | No |
| Kaunch beej (Mucuna pruriens) | Studies in infertile men on sperm and hormones | No |
| Safed musli | Mostly animal studies | No |
| Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris) | Mixed trials on erections | No |
Ashwagandha
In an Indian trial of 50 men with low desire, those given an ashwagandha root extract for 8 weeks reported better sexual function scores and had higher testosterone than the placebo group. In an Australian trial of 57 overweight men aged 40–70, testosterone rose 14.7% more than with placebo, but sexual well-being did not improve more. In a trial of 86 Indian men with erection problems caused by anxiety, ashwagandha powder worked no better than placebo. None of these trials measured timing.
Shilajit
In a placebo-controlled trial of healthy men aged 45–55, purified shilajit taken for 90 days raised total testosterone compared with placebo. In a study of infertile men with a low sperm count, total sperm count rose 61.4% among the 28 men who completed treatment, but there was no placebo group. Both used purified extracts, and neither measured timing. Normal testosterone does not by itself make a man last longer.
Kaunch beej (Mucuna pruriens)
Studies from Lucknow gave kaunch beej powder to infertile men and found improvements in sperm count, motility and hormones. They compared men before and after treatment and against healthy men, not against a placebo. Kaunch beej seeds are rich in levodopa (L-DOPA), a building block of dopamine that is also the basis of a Parkinson’s medicine, so it is a real drug-like substance, not just food.
Safed musli
Safed musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) is a common ingredient in “vitality” mixes. The research we found is mostly in rats, where it raised testosterone and sperm counts. We found no good human trial for timing or erections.
Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris)
Results are mixed. In a trial of 180 men with mild to moderate erection problems, a standardised Tribulus extract improved erection scores by 2.70 points more than placebo over 12 weeks. A smaller trial of 30 men found no difference from placebo. These trials were about erections, not timing.
Patanjali and other desi timing medicines: what is inside and what the evidence says
Patanjali and other Ayurvedic brands sell capsules, vati and churnas built on the same herbs described above. The honest way to judge any such product, whatever the brand, is to read the ingredient list on the pack: the evidence for the product is the evidence for its herbs, which for timing is weak.
We searched the medical literature in September 2026 and found no published clinical trial of a Patanjali product for timing, premature ejaculation or erections. That does not mean a product is unsafe or useless; it means no trial has tested it for this purpose. The same is true of most desi timing products from any company.
The Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954 bars advertising any medicine for improving the capacity for sexual pleasure, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules list “duration of sexual performance” and premature ejaculation among conditions no medicine may claim to cure or prevent. So a loud promise of “30 minute timing” is itself a warning sign.
Hidden drugs and heavy metals in desi sex power tablets
The bigger risk with desi sex power tablets is often not the herb but what else is in the pack.
- Hidden prescription drugs. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that many sexual-enhancement and stamina pills are likely to contain dangerous hidden ingredients. At a hospital in South India, doctors tested 386 alternative-medicine products used by 91 patients who had fallen ill, mostly with liver injury. At least one undeclared pharmaceutical drug was found in 27.7% of the products. This was not a random sample of the market, but it shows the problem exists in India.
- Heavy metals. In the same study, mercury exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) limits in 34% of products, cadmium in 25%, arsenic in 21% and lead in 14%. A US study of Ayurvedic medicines bought online found lead, mercury or arsenic in 20.7% of them, and in 40.6% of rasa shastra products, which deliberately combine herbs with metals or minerals, as in bhasma.
How to check a desi medicine label
Under Rule 161 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, the label of an Ayurvedic medicine sold in India must show:
- the name of the medicine and a list of all ingredients with their quantities;
- the manufacturer’s name and address;
- the manufacturing licence number, marked “Mfg. Lic. No.” or “M.L.”;
- a batch number and date of manufacture;
- the words “Ayurvedic medicine”.
A pack without these, a product sold only through social-media ads or roadside stalls, or one promising instant results, is best left alone. A proper label does not prove a product works; it only tells you who made it and what they say is inside.
Who should be careful
- Liver. A 2024 review from Indian liver specialists lists ashwagandha among Ayush herbs linked to liver injury. Most cases improved after stopping, but some were severe, and rare side effects may not show up in small, short herbal trials.
- Other medicines. If you take tablets for blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid, mood, epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease, ask your doctor or a registered Ayush practitioner before any herbal product.
- Heart disease. Because some “herbal” sex pills contain hidden erection drugs, men with heart disease or on nitrate heart medicines should avoid unlabelled or dubious products completely; you cannot ask your doctor about a drug you do not know you are taking.
- Trying for a baby. Tell your doctor about any supplement, because herbs and hidden ingredients can affect sperm and hormones.
What actually helps timing
The methods with the best evidence cost nothing: stop-start and squeeze practice, pelvic floor exercises, a thicker condom, easing performance anxiety, and regular exercise. Our guide to increasing sex timing naturally explains each step. If you usually finish within about a minute and it bothers you, that may be premature ejaculation, which doctors can treat. Prescription tablets and delay sprays do exist; our guide to timing tablets and sprays explains what they are and their risks.
Daily habits also shape desire, erections and stamina: sleep, weight, blood sugar, alcohol and smoking. Indians carry more risk at lower weights, so check yours with the Asian cut-offs on our body mass index (BMI) calculator. These changes are slower than a capsule promises, but they are real.
When to see a doctor
See the full list of warning signs in our sexual health guide.
Emergency: get help now
- Chest pain, severe breathlessness or fainting during or after sex, or after taking any sex pill: call 112.
- An erection that lasts more than 4 hours: go to hospital.
Prompt review: within days
- Yellow eyes or skin, dark urine, severe itching or pain in the upper right belly after taking any herbal product. Stop the product and take the pack with you.
- Palpitations, headache, dizziness or blurred vision after a “herbal” sex pill, which can be signs of a hidden drug.
Routine review
Book an appointment if you usually finish within about a minute, if erections are weakening, or if you have been buying one product after another without improvement. A general physician, urologist or psychiatrist can help.
How Disha can help
Disha is an AI health coach that chats and calls in Hindi, English and Hinglish. It does not diagnose, prescribe, recommend supplements or treat premature ejaculation, and it does not replace a doctor. It can help with the everyday habits that support sexual health: sleep, exercise, weight, alcohol and stress. The onboarding call of about 15–20 minutes is conducted by Disha, the AI; no human is on the call, and you share only what you choose. Read how Disha coaching works.
This is not medical advice. This page is general education for adults (18+), not a diagnosis, a treatment plan or a product recommendation. Brand and herb names are given for information only. Do not start, stop or combine any medicine or supplement because of it. In an emergency, call 112; Disha does not provide emergency care.
Frequently asked questions
Is there any desi medicine that increases timing?
No herbal medicine has good evidence for it. A systematic review found only one trial of an Ayurvedic herbal treatment for premature ejaculation, with a gain of under a minute over placebo and unclear risk of bias. The AUA guideline found too few good studies to support any herbal treatment. Stop-start practice, pelvic floor exercises and, when needed, treatment from a doctor have better evidence.
Does ashwagandha increase sex timing?
There is no trial showing that. In one Indian trial of 50 men, ashwagandha improved desire scores and testosterone compared with placebo, but it did not help men whose erection problems were caused by anxiety, and no trial measured how long men lasted. Ashwagandha has also been linked to liver injury in some people, so ask a doctor before taking it.
Does shilajit increase timing?
Not as far as trials show. Purified shilajit raised testosterone in healthy men aged 45–55 and sperm counts in a small study of infertile men, but neither study measured timing. Normal testosterone does not by itself make a man last longer. Choose only properly labelled products if a doctor agrees, because some mineral-based Ayurvedic products contain heavy metals.
Is Patanjali medicine good for timing?
We found no published clinical trial of any Patanjali product for timing, premature ejaculation or erections. Such products usually contain herbs like ashwagandha or shilajit, so their evidence is the evidence for those herbs, which for timing is weak. This is not a judgement on the brand’s quality or safety; it simply has not been tested for this purpose.
Are desi sex power tablets safe?
Not always. The US FDA warns that many stamina and sexual-enhancement pills contain hidden drugs. In a South Indian hospital study, 27.7% of alternative-medicine products taken by patients who fell ill contained an undeclared pharmaceutical, and many had heavy metals above WHO limits. Avoid products without a manufacturing licence number, and never use them if you have heart disease.
Can I take desi medicine with blood pressure (BP) or diabetes tablets?
Ask your doctor first. Herbs can act like drugs, and some “herbal” sex pills contain hidden erection drugs that can dangerously lower blood pressure, especially with nitrate heart medicines. Take the pack to your appointment so the doctor can read the ingredients. Do not stop your regular tablets to try a desi medicine.
When should I see a doctor instead of trying desi medicine?
See a doctor if you usually finish within about a minute and it bothers you, if erections are weakening, or if you have tried several products without change. Go promptly if you notice yellow eyes, dark urine, palpitations or dizziness after any herbal product. Chest pain during or after sex is an emergency: call 112.
Sources
- Cooper K, Martyn-St James M, Kaltenthaler E, et al. Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Management of Premature Ejaculation: A Systematic Review. Sexual Medicine, 2017. Supports: one randomised trial of Ayurvedic herbal medicine; 0.80 minutes over placebo; unclear risk of bias.
- Shindel AW, Althof SE, Carrier S, et al. Disorders of Ejaculation: An AUA/SMSNA Guideline. American Urological Association, 2020. Supports: insufficient high-quality evidence for any herbal therapy for premature ejaculation, including Ayurvedic medicine.
- Chauhan S, Srivastava MK, Pathak AK. Effect of standardized root extract of ashwagandha on well-being and sexual performance in adult males: a randomized controlled trial. Health Science Reports, 2022. Supports: 50 men with low desire; 8 weeks; better sexual function scores and testosterone than placebo. Lopresti AL et al., hormonal and vitality effects of ashwagandha in aging, overweight males, American Journal of Men’s Health, 2019: 57 men aged 40–70; testosterone 14.7% higher than placebo; no difference in sexual well-being. Mamidi P, Thakar AB, ashwagandha in psychogenic erectile dysfunction, Ayu, 2011: 86 men completed; no difference from placebo.
- Pandit S, Biswas S, Jana U, et al. Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia, 2016. Supports: men aged 45–55; 90 days; higher total testosterone than placebo. Biswas TK et al., spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia, Andrologia, 2010: 28 men completed; total sperm count +61.4%; no placebo group.
- Shukla KK, Mahdi AA, Ahmad MK, et al. Mucuna pruriens improves male fertility by its action on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. Fertility and Sterility, 2009. Supports: improved sperm count, motility and hormones in infertile men; compared with before treatment and healthy controls. L-DOPA content: Bashev Z et al., review of Mucuna pruriens, Molecules, 2026.
- Kamenov Z, Fileva S, Kalinov K, Jannini EA. Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Tribulus terrestris in male sexual dysfunction. Maturitas, 2017. Supports: 180 men with mild to moderate erection problems; 12 weeks; 2.70 points over placebo. Santos CA et al., Tribulus terrestris versus placebo in erectile dysfunction, Actas Urológicas Españolas, 2014: 30 men; no difference.
- Philips CA, Oommen TT, Theruvath AH, et al. Analysis of 386 alternative medicinal products implicated in liver injury. Frontiers in Gastroenterology, 2026. Supports: 91 patients in South India; undeclared pharmaceutical in 27.7% of products; mercury 34%, cadmium 25%, arsenic 21%, lead 14% above WHO limits. Philips CA et al., hepatotoxicity of herbs used in Ayush systems, Medicine, 2024: ashwagandha among herbs linked to liver injury.
- Saper RB, Phillips RS, Sehgal A, et al. Lead, mercury, and arsenic in US- and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines sold via the Internet. JAMA, 2008. Supports: 20.7% contained metals; 40.6% of rasa shastra products.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Sexual Enhancement and Energy Product Notifications. Accessed September 2026. Supports: stamina and sexual-enhancement pills likely to contain dangerous hidden ingredients.
- Government of India. Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, section 3, and Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, rule 161. Supports: ban on advertising medicines for sexual capacity; Ayurvedic label requirements. Schedule J (conditions no drug may claim to cure) lists duration of sexual performance and premature ejaculation.
Related reads
- Men’s sexual health in India: symptoms, tests and treatment: the overview this page sits under, with the full warning-sign list.
- How to last longer in bed: normal time and what works: techniques and habits with real evidence.
- Sex timing tablets: names, effects and risks: prescription tablets, delay sprays and over-the-counter capsules compared.
- Premature ejaculation: causes, daily habits and when to see a doctor: when early finishing is a medical problem.
- All sexual wellness articles: every Disha article on men’s sexual health in one place.
- BMI calculator with Indian cut-offs: weight matters for erection health and stamina.
