# Do penis enlargement supplements work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723 "2011-03-23T15:43:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/21 "2011-03-23T20:03:41Z")
Some guys have to use a manual pump to get it up. One example was Mafia boss Paul Castellano. ---
**Author:** ![CheeseDonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@CheeseDonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheeseDonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/22 "2011-03-24T01:19:34Z")
> **[Prank the Monkey: The ZUG Book of Pranks - Kindle edition by Hargrave, Sir John,...](https://www.amazon.com/Prank-Monkey-ZUG-Book-Pranks-ebook/dp/B00394F32O)** > > Prank the Monkey: The ZUG Book of Pranks - Kindle edition by Hargrave, Sir John, Al Natanagara, Al Natanagara. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while... Read that. It did kind of work for that guy. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/23 "2011-03-24T01:26:21Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Do these things have some sort of short term effect that lets people convince themselves they do work, or is the idea to keep marketing until every potential sucker^h^h^h customer gets ripped off? Ever see someone sue because it didn’t work as advertised? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/24 "2011-03-24T01:55:24Z")
Yet another thread title that would be enhanced (heh!!) by “… need answer fast!” ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/25 "2011-03-24T06:36:50Z")
The penis is a more complicated device than a lot of people appreciate, a pill to make it bigger is unlikely, IMHO. I haven’t looked into it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of hebal viagra was in play. Personally, if I had the chance to upgrade, I’d choose making it behave like it did 30 years ago over changing the size, but mileage varies. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/26 "2011-03-24T09:29:56Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Ever see someone sue because it didn’t work as advertised? I seem to recall the people that made the once ubiquitous “Bob is feeling a renewed sense of confidence” commercials were sued into oblivion. The laws regulating ‘herbal supplements’ are pretty weak though. There isn’t really any penalty for selling something that doesn’t work. The “Bob” people were dumb enough to offer a money back gaurantee, and then put some odious terms so that it was basically impossible to actually get your money back, presumably because if they did they would have to reimburse all their customers. ---
**Author:** ![Oglomott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oglomott/32/3543_2.png) [@Oglomott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oglomott)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/27 "2011-03-24T10:00:35Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I seem to recall the people that made the once ubiquitous “Bob is feeling a renewed sense of confidence” commercials were sued into oblivion. > > The laws regulating ‘herbal supplements’ are pretty weak though. There isn’t really any penalty for selling something that doesn’t work. The “Bob” people were dumb enough to offer a money back gaurantee, and then put some odious terms so that it was basically impossible to actually get your money back, presumably because if they did they would have to reimburse all their customers. Those “Bob” commercials never stated what exactly their product was supposed to do. “Male Enhancement”; what exactly does that mean? They never claimed it made anything bigger, or kept it up longer, so basically they never claimed it actually did anything. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/28 "2011-03-24T11:37:57Z")
> [@Oglomott](#): > > Those “Bob” commercials never stated what exactly their product was supposed to do. “Male Enhancement”; what exactly does that mean? They never claimed it made anything bigger, or kept it up longer, so basically they never claimed it actually did anything. Eh, I’d say the meaning was pretty clear from the commercials. Apparently [the courts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyte) weren’t convinced by semantic arguments either. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/29 "2011-03-24T19:05:46Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Ever see someone sue because it didn’t work as advertised? Most companies depend on repeat business. I was wondering about the business model of a company whose product is rather flacid. I’d expect lawsuits, if any, to come from the feds. Some of these people send free samples, supposedly. I can see both a placebo effect and measurement error, though. ---
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/30 "2011-03-25T05:20:11Z")
Actually penis-transplantation is becoming increasingly popular. They mostly use cadaver-penis from road accidents. Need to match it to your blood type, and roughly the same skin color. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/31 "2011-03-25T05:48:06Z")
I saw a show on TV (so no cite) but if my word is worth anything here I’ll say the experts talking about this were credible (like a NOVA episode except of course it wasn’t NOVA…no Big Bang cracks). Bottom line is the penis you were born with is the penis you’ve got. Period. Maybe surgery could lengthen things but that comes with its own problems. As noted above there is more going on in there then one might think. It is complex enough that lengthening it is just not in the cards short of dramatic, expensive and painful medical procedures (and things don’t quite work right anymore). So, to all men reading this, learn to love what you were born with because that is it for the rest of your life. Also, do not be deceived by porn. Yes, there are some very well hung men out there. As with most things though there is an average and you, the reader, are probably on that average (graphed it’d be a bell curve from tiny to monstrous with most somewhere in between). Most women are not overly concerned about size unless you are at the extremes of that bell curve. Not the size of the ship but the motion of the ocean kinda thing. Similar to men liking breasts. Sure a man might claim a preference but when it comes down to it he likes the woman and large chested or small if the guy thinks the woman is attractive (in any sense of that word) he’s all over it. I forget the statistics but something like 40-50% (or 60%?) of women do not orgasm from vaginal penetration anyway. Point is guys learn how to give her head, learn what turns her on, have fun with her. If you do that what is between your legs (size-wise) matters little. Bottom line, save your money and don’t buy penis enlargement crap. Does. Not. Work. (no I do not know form experience…I read a lot) [sub]FTR I am not hung like a horse. Horses are hung like me. ;-)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/32 "2011-03-25T05:54:23Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > Actually penis-transplantation is becoming increasingly popular. They mostly use cadaver-penis from road accidents. Need to match it to your blood type, and roughly the same skin color. Are you serious? Holy shit, I don’t know how I’d feel about having a dead penis. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/33 "2011-03-25T06:06:03Z")
According to wiki, the first patient had it reversed 15 days later because it was too traumatic. His was from a vegetable, though and not a dead person. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/34 "2011-03-25T06:43:44Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > Actually penis-transplantation is becoming increasingly popular. They mostly use cadaver-penis from road accidents. Need to match it to your blood type, and roughly the same skin color. > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > According to wiki, the first patient had it reversed 15 days later because it was too traumatic. His was from a vegetable, though and not a dead person. I…I…err… I need to go floss my head and hope I forget this. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/35 "2011-03-25T07:03:00Z")
Not having read the thread… I sell them where I work. I have repeat customers. I don’t believe that they work, despite the repeat customers. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/36 "2011-03-25T07:36:56Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > Not having read the thread… > > I sell them where I work. I have repeat customers. I don’t believe that they work, despite the repeat customers. > > Joe If they worked you wouldn’t have repeat customers. ---
**Author:** ![Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Romeo_and_Whatsherface)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/37 "2011-03-25T13:53:21Z")
OK, a woman’s perspective. I don’t know why guys obsess about length so much. I guess the idea is that if having a penis is manly, having a huge penis means you’re hugely manly. Actually, the only time I’ve heard women talk about penis length is in the very rare cases where a man has an abnormally small member–we’re talking teeny weenie here. Longer only means it might bump against the cervix, which is not the most comfortable sensation. What IS of modest importance is girth. If you think about the female anatomy and where the clitoris is located, this makes sense. However, the men women tend to rave about to each other are the guys who are great at foreplay, are creative during sex and who do whatever brings her to the big O. A man with a big penis and no skills is going to get eye-rolling, not second chances. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/38 "2011-03-25T14:00:14Z")
The desire for a large penis has nothing to do with wanting to give pleasure to the woman, it comes from the desire to clear out any genetic material left by a previous visitor. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/39 "2011-03-25T15:26:15Z")
When I said vegetable, I meant a braindead person, not a zucchini, in case anyone was confused. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723/40 "2011-03-25T15:58:30Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > If they worked you wouldn’t have repeat customers. I may be wrong, but I thougt the idea was that ir works on a per-use basis, not pemanently. Joe [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-penis-enlargement-supplements-work/575723.md?page=3)