Ingredient
Damiana, Muira Puama and Catuaba in Protoflow: Three Traditional Tonics, Thin Evidence
Damiana in Protoflow is 200 mg, muira puama 200 mg and catuaba 84.5 mg per 2-capsule serving. All three are traditional tonics. Memorial Sloan Kettering finds only preclinical work and small studies for damiana. For muira puama and catuaba we found only RxList, a secondary source, which rates the evidence insufficient.
Written by the Protoflow label deskUpdated
The ingredients01
What are damiana, muira puama and catuaba in Protoflow?
Three plant lines from the label's libido-tradition group: Damiana (Leaf) 200 mg, Muira Puama (Root) 200 mg and Catuaba (Bark) 84.5 mg per 2 capsules.
Damiana is Turnera diffusa, a Mexican shrub. Muira puama comes from Ptychopetalum and is called the Brazilian "potency wood". Catuaba is a Brazilian tree bark used in folk medicine. The sales page names all three but gives no amounts (Protoflow info page). The panel does (Protoflow bottle label).
Damiana, leaf
Traditional aphrodisiac.
Muira puama, root
Traditional libido herb.
Catuaba, bark
Traditional Brazilian tonic.
Dose check02
How much damiana, muira puama and catuaba are in Protoflow?
Together they come to 484.5 mg a serving, about 30% of the 1,619 mg total.
Damiana and muira puama match at 200 mg each, so they sit just under the two 250 mg lines. Catuaba is 84.5 mg, the same as saw palmetto. Per capsule, that is 100 mg, 100 mg and 42.25 mg.
None of our sources sets a dose for any of the three. The RxList entry for muira puama says there is not enough information to set one, and the catuaba entry gives no dose at all (RxList, Muira Puama) (RxList, Catuaba). So we cannot compare the label to a studied amount.
Damiana03
Does damiana work?
Not proven. Damiana is used traditionally for diabetes, sexual dysfunction and anxiety, and MSK says the findings come mostly from preclinical models.
Small studies of formulas that contain damiana suggest possible effects on sexual function, and MSK says these need confirmatory research. Those formulas held other herbs, so they cannot show what damiana does alone (MSK, Damiana).
The MSK page says damiana may affect blood sugar, based on animal studies. It lists no adverse effects or interactions, and notes that damiana has not been shown to treat cancer in humans (MSK, Damiana). People with diabetes should still mention it to their prescriber.
MSK is a cancer center's herb guide, so damiana has the stronger source of the three.
Muira puama04
Is muira puama safe, and does it help?
Nobody knows yet. The only source we found is RxList, a secondary source, and it rates the evidence insufficient.
We found no NIH, NCCIH or MSK page for muira puama. RxList, a consumer monograph that draws on the Natural Medicines database, says it is not known whether muira puama is safe or what its side effects are. It advises avoiding it in pregnancy and breastfeeding (RxList, Muira Puama).
One early study used Herbal vX, a mix of muira puama and ginkgo, in women with low desire. It does not apply to muira puama alone, and it was not a study of men (RxList, Muira Puama).
A secondary source summarizes studies rather than reporting them. Treat what we say about muira puama and catuaba as lower in certainty than what we say about damiana.
Protoflow: from $49 a bottle60 capsules · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day guarantee
See packsCatuaba05
What is catuaba bark, and is it safe?
Catuaba is a Brazilian tree bark with no solid human evidence. RxList, a secondary source, rates it insufficient for every use it lists.
That includes male sexual performance. RxList says there is not enough information to know whether catuaba is safe, gives no dose and no interaction information, and advises avoiding it in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Its references are mostly laboratory and animal work (RxList, Catuaba).
| Herb | Source | Evidence | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damiana | MSK (MSK, Damiana) | Preclinical; small studies of mixes | May affect blood sugar in animals |
| Muira puama | RxList, secondary (RxList, Muira Puama) | Insufficient | Not known |
| Catuaba | RxList, secondary (RxList, Catuaba) | Insufficient | Not known |
At a glance06
How do the three label lines compare with research?
One profile table per line: label wording, amount, studied dose, evidence and main caution.
Keep taking prescribed medicine and show these tables to your pharmacist if you use diabetes medicine. Urinary red flags such as blood in the urine or being unable to urinate need a doctor, not a tonic.
| Name on the label | Damiana (Leaf) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Turnera diffusa, a Mexican shrub |
| Place on the label | Its own printed line |
| Amount per 2 capsules | 200 mg per 2 capsules |
| Amount per capsule | 100 mg |
| Amount used in research | No established dose |
| Strength of evidence | Small studies of damiana mixes; mostly lab and animal work |
| Marketed or traditional use | Traditional aphrodisiac |
| Main caution | May affect blood sugar in animal studies; little human safety data. |
| Name on the label | Muira Puama (Root) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Ptychopetalum, the Brazilian 'potency wood' |
| Place on the label | Its own printed line |
| Amount per 2 capsules | 200 mg per 2 capsules |
| Amount per capsule | 100 mg |
| Amount used in research | Not enough information to set a dose |
| Strength of evidence | Insufficient evidence for sexual problems |
| Marketed or traditional use | Traditional libido herb |
| Main caution | Not known whether it is safe or what the side effects are. |
| Name on the label | Catuaba (Bark) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Brazilian tree bark used in folk medicine |
| Place on the label | Its own printed line |
| Amount per 2 capsules | 84.5 mg per 2 capsules |
| Amount per capsule | 42.25 mg |
| Amount used in research | No established dose |
| Strength of evidence | Insufficient evidence; mostly lab and animal work |
| Marketed or traditional use | Traditional Brazilian tonic |
| Main caution | Not known whether it is safe. |
Verdict07
How should you weigh these three herbs in Protoflow?
As old folk tonics with thin evidence, bundled at about 30% of the capsule weight.
Fair points
- All three amounts are printed
- Long traditional use
- No adverse effects listed by MSK for damiana
Weak spots
- No established dose for any of them
- Two of three have only a secondary source
- No product trial
Compare the other libido-group herbs on the epimedium and tribulus pages. Read the wider picture in male vitality supplement safety and the ingredients overview.
FAQ08
Damiana, muira puama and catuaba: common questions
What is damiana used for?
Traditionally damiana has been used for diabetes, sexual dysfunction and anxiety. MSK says the findings come mostly from preclinical models, with small studies of damiana-containing formulas that need confirmation (MSK, Damiana). It is not proven for any of these uses.
How much damiana, muira puama and catuaba are in Protoflow?
A 2-capsule serving holds 200 mg of damiana leaf, 200 mg of muira puama root and 84.5 mg of catuaba bark. That is 484.5 mg together, about 30% of the 1,619 mg serving weight.
Is muira puama safe to take?
Unknown. RxList, a secondary source, says it is not known whether muira puama is safe or what its side effects are, and advises avoiding it in pregnancy and breastfeeding (RxList, Muira Puama). Ask a pharmacist before using it.
Does catuaba bark work for men?
There is no good evidence. RxList, a secondary source, rates catuaba insufficient for every listed use, including male sexual performance, and its references are mostly laboratory and animal work (RxList, Catuaba).
Can damiana lower blood sugar?
Possibly. MSK says damiana may affect blood sugar level, based on animal studies (MSK, Damiana). Human data are lacking, so anyone on diabetes medicine should tell their prescriber before taking Protoflow.
Why are two of these three sources secondary?
We found no NIH, NCCIH or MSK page for muira puama or catuaba. The best available were RxList monographs, which summarize other research (RxList, Muira Puama) (RxList, Catuaba). We flag that so you can weigh them accordingly.
Is there a standard dose for damiana, muira puama or catuaba?
No. The MSK damiana page lists no dose, RxList says there is not enough information to set one for muira puama, and gives none for catuaba (MSK, Damiana) (RxList, Muira Puama) (RxList, Catuaba). The label amounts cannot be graded against a studied dose.
Does damiana help the prostate?
No source we read says so. The damiana findings concern sexual function, anxiety and blood sugar, not the prostate (MSK, Damiana). Urinary symptoms need a checkup, since BPH is only one of several causes (NIDDK, Enlarged Prostate (BPH)).
Who wrote this09
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the brand pages and linked NIH, FDA, FTC, NICE and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a USA authorized Protoflow retailer, not by the manufacturer or distributor, PhytoThrive Labs. We make money when you buy through our order links.
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