{"id":605620306226,"title":"Ristela Review: Do Orgasm Pills Work?","created_at":"2023-06-11T23:22:15-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Ristela Review: Do Orgasm Pills Work?\",\n \"keywords\": \"ristela, ristela review, ristela reviews, bonafide ristela, ristela side effects, ristela bonafide, ristela ingredients, bonafide ristela reviews\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in Ristela based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to improve sex drive in women or if it's a waste of money. We highlight some questionable health claims made by its manufacturer.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/ristela-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Taylor Graber\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/taylor-graber\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/taylor-j-graber-md-81351642\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.asapivs.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Content Partner\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"medicine, health, anesthesiology, iv therapy, science, drugs, pharmaceutical, medical research, scientific research, medical journals, entrepreneurship, healthcare, orthopedic surgery, biomedical engineering\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of California San Diego\",\n \"Arizona University\",\n \"University of Arizona College of Medicine\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ristela_Thumbnail.png?v=1686541866\",\n\"width\": \"2000\",\n\"height\": \"2000\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8103282\/\", \n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24051943\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22108479\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/olly-lovin-libido-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.bbb.org\/us\/ny\/harrison\/profile\/vitamins-and-supplements\/bonafide-health-llc-0121-87152766\",\n\"https:\/\/www.longdom.org\/abstract\/pacr-pine-bark-extract-l-arginine-l-citrulline-rose-hip-extractimproves-emotional-physical-health-and-sexual-function-in-39458.html\",\n\"https:\/\/www.pharmanord.eu\/products\/ladyprelox\",\n\"https:\/\/hellobonafide.com\/products\/ristela\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20141583\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34638031\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4061626\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8264219\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/ginkgo-biloba-extract\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29442353\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21310306\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Bonafide\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"l-arginine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"titanium dioxide\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"BBB\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Lady Prelox\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Walmart\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-06-11\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ristela_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1686540334\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eR\u003c\/span\u003eistela is a dietary supplement for increasing sexual satisfaction and stimulation in women, sold by a brand called Bonafide. The brand claims that their supplement “increases orgasm and physical arousal” and is manufactured with “high quality ingredients.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut does Ristela contain research-backed ingredients for supporting sexual health in women, or are these just marketing claims? Does it contain any questionable additive ingredients? How do real users rate and describe the effects of the supplement? And what retailer sells Ristela for the best price?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Ristela based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective for improving sexual satisfaction in women, or if it’s a waste of money.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll feature real customer reviews and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells Ristela for the best price.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Analysis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Ristela active ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ristela_Active_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1686540350\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe active ingredients in Ristela are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere are some ingredients in this formulation with research backing for enhancing sexual function in women.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eL-arginine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8103282\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePharmacy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal to improve sex drive in women.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe study authors analyzed results from seven clinical trials on l-arginine supplementation for sex drive in women, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ein six of the seven trials, l-arginine use was shown to enhance libido\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. The doses used in some of the trials were lower than that in Ristela.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eL-citrulline\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another amino acid, and while we can’t find any clinical trials showing it to improve sexual function in women when taken in isolation, it was shown in a 2013 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24051943\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to enhance sexual function scores in women when combined with other ingredients that are in Ristela.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhen supplementing with l-citrulline along with the other active botanical ingredients experienced \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ea 227% improvement in sexual function scores after eight weeks of treatment.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePycnogenol\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a patented compound derived from pine bark, and it was shown in a 2011 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22108479\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to improve symptoms associated with menopausal transition including loss of libido.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile there are clearly some research-backed ingredients in Ristela, there is also one inactive ingredient that may be questionable from a health perspective. The inactive ingredients in this supplement are shown below:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Ristela inactive ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ristela_Inactive_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1686540370\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTitanium dioxide\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a colorant that’s banned for use in the E.U. over toxicity concerns, as we discussed in our review of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/olly-lovin-libido-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOlly Lovin Libido\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, another women’s health supplement.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall, we consider Ristela likely to improve sexual function and sex drive in women. From an effectiveness perspective, we consider this supplement to have one of the more impressive formulations of any libido enhancer we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t currently recommend Ristela due to the inclusion of titanium dioxide.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut how do real users rate and describe the effects of this supplement? We’ll discuss in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal Users Review Ristela\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named “Savvy’s Second Act” reviewed a number of Bonafide supplements including Ristela. We’ve timestamped the below video to begin at the point she starts discussing Ristela:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K78uCjp9D-I?start=695\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRistela is sold on Amazon, which is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe supplement has been reviewed over 60 times with an average review rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Cait” who claims Ristela was recommended by her OBGYN and has been effective:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“My gyn recommended this, and said it has actual data to support its claims. It definitely has made a difference.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Delia” who gives the supplement a 1-star rating and claims it caused severe side effects:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“After a few days of taking the pills I had a severe reaction and ended up in the hospital. Do not take these pills unless you want a one way ticket to the tomb”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBonafide (the manufacturer of Ristela) currently has a 1 out of 5 star rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bbb.org\/us\/ny\/harrison\/profile\/vitamins-and-supplements\/bonafide-health-llc-0121-87152766\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewebsite\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, with a notice at the top of the page that health claims made by the brand were in violation of the BBB Code of Advertising.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll review the questionable health claims on Ristela’s website in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eQuestionable Health Claims on Ristela Website\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere are several uncited and questionable health claims on the Ristela product page of Bonafide’s website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs shown below, the manufacturer claims this supplement is “scientifically validated” and cites specific health claims such as that 75% of women saw an increase in sexual arousal by month two:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Ristela questionable health claim 1\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ristela_Questionable_Health_Claim_1_Optimized.png?v=1686540408\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHowever, the clinical trial citation for this health claim (found \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.longdom.org\/abstract\/pacr-pine-bark-extract-l-arginine-l-citrulline-rose-hip-extractimproves-emotional-physical-health-and-sexual-function-in-39458.html\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehere\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e is not to a trial on Ristela but to a trial on a different supplement called Lady Prelox.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAccording to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.pharmanord.eu\/products\/ladyprelox\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePharma Nord\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, Lady Prelox contains the same active ingredients as Ristela but at different doses. It also contains different inactive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe find it to be unfair to consumers to make specific health claims about a supplement’s efficacy based on a clinical trial on a different supplement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, even if both supplements contain the same active ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Ristela product page also suggests that the supplement becomes more effective over time:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Ristela questionable health claim 2\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ristela_Questionable_Health_Claim_2_Optimized_2b3708ec-0a0b-4461-881d-53c19ec433e0.png?v=1686540666\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis citation corresponds to a footnote on the site that lists the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMenopause\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal, however we cannot find any publications in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMenopause\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal testing Ristela.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend that consumers exercise caution when considering supplements sold by brands that make specific health claims without providing clear proof of those claims.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhere to Buy Ristela for the Best Price\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRistela is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown at the time of publishing this article:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" mce-data-marked=\"1\"\u003eEveryMarket: $99.52 (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/everymarket.com\/products\/bonafide-ristela-hormone-free-drug-free-support\"\u003elink\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon: $64 (free shipping – \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3CorjN2\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003elink to official Amazon listing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrand website: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$57 (plus shipping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/hellobonafide.com\/products\/ristela\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003elink\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAt the time of publishing this article, Ristela is slightly cheaper on the brand’s website than on third-party retailers even when factoring in shipping costs. The shipping rate based on the test address we input was only $5, bringing the total to $62.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCan Herbs Naturally Improve Sex Drive in Women?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Herbal_Supplements_Image_4b2de5a9-980a-4548-a091-aa31154e8590.png?v=1686540800\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere are herbs which have been shown in medical studies to improve sex drive in women.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePanax ginseng \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eextract\u003c\/strong\u003e was shown in a\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20141583\/\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003epublished in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Journal of Sexual Medicine\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to increase\u003c\/span\u003e sex drive by 13% in menopausal women. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34638031\/\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eon natural products for treating female sexual dysfunction\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003efound that \u003cem\u003ePanax ginseng\u003c\/em\u003e was effective for improving sexual arousal and sexual desire in women.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIlluminate Labs sells a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003ePanax Ginseng Extract supplement\u003c\/a\u003e which is third-party tested to ensure label accuracy, potency and purity, which contains no questionable additive ingredients, and which be purchased for only\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e$15\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eon a subscription basis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eGinkgo biloba\u003c\/em\u003e extract\u003c\/strong\u003e \"had a positive effect on sexual desire of menopausal women\" according to a 2014 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4061626\/\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 2021 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8264219\/\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/a\u003e concluded that \u003cem\u003eGinkgo biloba\u003c\/em\u003e extract can have positive effects on the sexual function of postmenopausal women.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIlluminate Labs sells a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/ginkgo-biloba-extract\"\u003eGinkgo Biloba Extract supplement\u003c\/a\u003e which is third-party tested to ensure label accuracy, potency and purity, which contains no questionable additive ingredients, and which can be purchased for only $15 on a subscription basis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVitamin D was shown to improve sexual desire, orgasm and satisfaction in young women with low vitamin D status\u003c\/strong\u003e in a 2018 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29442353\/\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21310306\/\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/a\u003e published in the \u003cem\u003eNutrition Research\u003c\/em\u003e journal found that \u003cstrong\u003enearly 50% of US adults had vitamin D deficiency\u003c\/strong\u003e, so women with low sex drive may wish to get a vitamin D test at their doctor's office and consider supplementing (based on their doctor's guidance) if their levels are low.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=1592159\u0026amp;u=3153363\u0026amp;m=100043\u0026amp;urllink=www%2Efuturekind%2Ecom%2Fproducts%2Fvegan%2Dvitamin%2Dd3\u0026amp;afftrack=\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003eFuture Kind Vegan Vitamin D3\u003c\/a\u003e is our top vitamin D supplement because it's third-party tested, free of questionable additives and costs only \u003cstrong\u003e$19.99\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros and Cons of Ristela\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere are the pros and cons of Ristela in our opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAll active ingredients have research backing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShould improve sexual function\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShould improve sexual desire\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eL-citrulline may have cardiovascular benefits\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains titanium dioxide\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrand makes questionable and poorly-cited health claims\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUnimpressive Amazon reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUnimpressive BBB reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrand charges for shipping\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRistela is better than the average women’s libido enhancing supplement that we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe supplement seems to be a more potent version of an older-generation libido enhancer called Lady Prelox.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhat’s confusing to us is that the manufacturer of Ristela cites clinical research on Lady Prelox to make specific health claims on the brand’s website, even though the two supplements contain different active ingredient doses and different inactive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere are several questionable and poorly-cited health claims on the Ristela website that we’ve highlighted in this article, and we urge the brand to clarify these claims (including an unlinked citation to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMenopause\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal article that we couldn’t locate).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do believe that Ristela is likely to improve sex drive and sexual function in women, given that its active ingredients have research backing. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not currently recommend this supplement because it contains titanium dioxide and because of our concerns about the claims made by its manufacturer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOnline customer reviews for Ristela are unimpressive on Amazon, BBB and YouTube.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers intent on purchasing Ristela, the brand’s website appears to be the best option from a cost perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-06-11T23:56:53-04:00","updated_at":"2023-09-17T12:19:59-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in Ristela based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to improve sex drive in women or if it's a waste of money. We highlight some questionable health claims made by its manufacturer.","template_suffix":"","handle":"ristela-review","tags":"_related:sex-drive, _related:women's-health"}

Ristela Review: Do Orgasm Pills Work?

Ristela Review: Do Orgasm Pills Work?


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Ristela is a dietary supplement for increasing sexual satisfaction and stimulation in women, sold by a brand called Bonafide. The brand claims that their supplement “increases orgasm and physical arousal” and is manufactured with “high quality ingredients.”

But does Ristela contain research-backed ingredients for supporting sexual health in women, or are these just marketing claims? Does it contain any questionable additive ingredients? How do real users rate and describe the effects of the supplement? And what retailer sells Ristela for the best price?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Ristela based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective for improving sexual satisfaction in women, or if it’s a waste of money.

We’ll feature real customer reviews and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells Ristela for the best price.

Ingredient Analysis

Ristela active ingredients

The active ingredients in Ristela are shown above.

There are some ingredients in this formulation with research backing for enhancing sexual function in women.

L-arginine was shown in a meta-study published in the Pharmacy journal to improve sex drive in women.

The study authors analyzed results from seven clinical trials on l-arginine supplementation for sex drive in women, and in six of the seven trials, l-arginine use was shown to enhance libido. The doses used in some of the trials were lower than that in Ristela.

L-citrulline is another amino acid, and while we can’t find any clinical trials showing it to improve sexual function in women when taken in isolation, it was shown in a 2013 clinical trial to enhance sexual function scores in women when combined with other ingredients that are in Ristela.

When supplementing with l-citrulline along with the other active botanical ingredients experienced a 227% improvement in sexual function scores after eight weeks of treatment.

Pycnogenol is a patented compound derived from pine bark, and it was shown in a 2011 clinical trial to improve symptoms associated with menopausal transition including loss of libido.

While there are clearly some research-backed ingredients in Ristela, there is also one inactive ingredient that may be questionable from a health perspective. The inactive ingredients in this supplement are shown below:

Ristela inactive ingredients

Titanium dioxide is a colorant that’s banned for use in the E.U. over toxicity concerns, as we discussed in our review of Olly Lovin Libido, another women’s health supplement.

Overall, we consider Ristela likely to improve sexual function and sex drive in women. From an effectiveness perspective, we consider this supplement to have one of the more impressive formulations of any libido enhancer we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health.

We don’t currently recommend Ristela due to the inclusion of titanium dioxide.

But how do real users rate and describe the effects of this supplement? We’ll discuss in the next section.

Real Users Review Ristela

A YouTube creator named “Savvy’s Second Act” reviewed a number of Bonafide supplements including Ristela. We’ve timestamped the below video to begin at the point she starts discussing Ristela:

Ristela is sold on Amazon, which is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.

The supplement has been reviewed over 60 times with an average review rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Cait” who claims Ristela was recommended by her OBGYN and has been effective:

“My gyn recommended this, and said it has actual data to support its claims. It definitely has made a difference.”

The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Delia” who gives the supplement a 1-star rating and claims it caused severe side effects:

“After a few days of taking the pills I had a severe reaction and ended up in the hospital. Do not take these pills unless you want a one way ticket to the tomb”

Bonafide (the manufacturer of Ristela) currently has a 1 out of 5 star rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, with a notice at the top of the page that health claims made by the brand were in violation of the BBB Code of Advertising.

We’ll review the questionable health claims on Ristela’s website in the next section.

Questionable Health Claims on Ristela Website

There are several uncited and questionable health claims on the Ristela product page of Bonafide’s website.

As shown below, the manufacturer claims this supplement is “scientifically validated” and cites specific health claims such as that 75% of women saw an increase in sexual arousal by month two:

Ristela questionable health claim 1

However, the clinical trial citation for this health claim (found here) is not to a trial on Ristela but to a trial on a different supplement called Lady Prelox.

According to Pharma Nord, Lady Prelox contains the same active ingredients as Ristela but at different doses. It also contains different inactive ingredients.

We find it to be unfair to consumers to make specific health claims about a supplement’s efficacy based on a clinical trial on a different supplement, even if both supplements contain the same active ingredients.

The Ristela product page also suggests that the supplement becomes more effective over time:

Ristela questionable health claim 2

This citation corresponds to a footnote on the site that lists the Menopause journal, however we cannot find any publications in the Menopause journal testing Ristela.

We recommend that consumers exercise caution when considering supplements sold by brands that make specific health claims without providing clear proof of those claims.

Where to Buy Ristela for the Best Price

Ristela is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown at the time of publishing this article:

EveryMarket: $99.52 (link)

Amazon: $64 (free shipping – link to official Amazon listing)

Brand website: $57 (plus shippinglink)

At the time of publishing this article, Ristela is slightly cheaper on the brand’s website than on third-party retailers even when factoring in shipping costs. The shipping rate based on the test address we input was only $5, bringing the total to $62.

Can Herbs Naturally Improve Sex Drive in Women?

There are herbs which have been shown in medical studies to improve sex drive in women.

Panax ginseng extract was shown in a clinical trial published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine to increase sex drive by 13% in menopausal women. 

meta-study on natural products for treating female sexual dysfunction found that Panax ginseng was effective for improving sexual arousal and sexual desire in women.

Illuminate Labs sells a Panax Ginseng Extract supplement which is third-party tested to ensure label accuracy, potency and purity, which contains no questionable additive ingredients, and which be purchased for only $15 on a subscription basis.

Ginkgo biloba extract "had a positive effect on sexual desire of menopausal women" according to a 2014 clinical trial

A 2021 meta-study concluded that Ginkgo biloba extract can have positive effects on the sexual function of postmenopausal women.

Illuminate Labs sells a Ginkgo Biloba Extract supplement which is third-party tested to ensure label accuracy, potency and purity, which contains no questionable additive ingredients, and which can be purchased for only $15 on a subscription basis.

Vitamin D was shown to improve sexual desire, orgasm and satisfaction in young women with low vitamin D status in a 2018 clinical trial

A medical review published in the Nutrition Research journal found that nearly 50% of US adults had vitamin D deficiency, so women with low sex drive may wish to get a vitamin D test at their doctor's office and consider supplementing (based on their doctor's guidance) if their levels are low.

Future Kind Vegan Vitamin D3 is our top vitamin D supplement because it's third-party tested, free of questionable additives and costs only $19.99.

Pros and Cons of Ristela

Here are the pros and cons of Ristela in our opinion:

Pros:

  • All active ingredients have research backing
  • Should improve sexual function
  • Should improve sexual desire
  • L-citrulline may have cardiovascular benefits

Cons:

  • Contains titanium dioxide
  • Brand makes questionable and poorly-cited health claims
  • Unimpressive Amazon reviews
  • Unimpressive BBB reviews
  • Brand charges for shipping
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Conclusion

Ristela is better than the average women’s libido enhancing supplement that we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health.

The supplement seems to be a more potent version of an older-generation libido enhancer called Lady Prelox.

What’s confusing to us is that the manufacturer of Ristela cites clinical research on Lady Prelox to make specific health claims on the brand’s website, even though the two supplements contain different active ingredient doses and different inactive ingredients.

There are several questionable and poorly-cited health claims on the Ristela website that we’ve highlighted in this article, and we urge the brand to clarify these claims (including an unlinked citation to a Menopause journal article that we couldn’t locate).

We do believe that Ristela is likely to improve sex drive and sexual function in women, given that its active ingredients have research backing. 

We do not currently recommend this supplement because it contains titanium dioxide and because of our concerns about the claims made by its manufacturer.

Online customer reviews for Ristela are unimpressive on Amazon, BBB and YouTube.

For consumers intent on purchasing Ristela, the brand’s website appears to be the best option from a cost perspective.




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