# Peppermint gel maxiimizes clitoral stimulation and female lubrication?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 5, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494 "2003-11-05T04:49:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/1 "2003-11-05T04:49:56Z")
[This stuff call Vigel](http://vigelusa.femaleadvantage.com/femaleadvantage/index.cfm?action=promo&pc=vigelUSAHome) was being touted on a cable advertisement as the “female viagra” available OTC, so I figured it was some herbal scam and googled it up out of curiosity. Apparently the active ingredients are a slight concentration of _peppermint_ and something called L-Arginine. Next to a fresh set of Duracells, is peppermint really the clitorises best friend ?
> [@](#):
>
> VIGEL contains two main ingredients: L-Arginine and Peppermint These key ingredients are responsible for enhancing female arousal. Specifically, L-Arginine causes the production of Nitric Oxide which increases blood flow to the area, while Peppermint intensifies the sensitivity with a delightful tingling sensation. The 1998 Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology was awarded for the discovery of the Nitric Oxide pathway, which is the basis for clitoral erection.
---
### Author:  [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/2 "2003-11-05T05:35:38Z")
Howyadoin,
Based on some quick research, the L-Arginine and nitric oxide claims are backed up by real research and lots of it. I applied the normally useful rule that if it didn’t come from an .edu, skip it…Even the Nobel deal checks out, through nobel.se, no less. Does L-Arginine work topically? That’s less apparent, and I’ll yield that part to those more knowledgeable than I…
Peppermint, on the other hand… Isn’t that what they put in those “blow on it” body gels? Not sure… One thing i do know, no frickin’ way I’m Googling “peppermint” and “blow on it”, knowwhatimsayin?
-Rav
P.S. here’s an interesting paper…
[http://www.mayo.edu/research/humanphysiology/pdf/jp\_2000\_joyner.pdf](http://www.mayo.edu/research/humanphysiology/pdf/jp_2000_joyner.pdf)
---
### Author:  [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/3 "2003-11-05T05:43:46Z")
From personal experience, peppermint oil + girl parts is a bad idea.
I was washing with Dr Bronners, if you must know.
---
### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/4 "2003-11-05T06:07:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by LunaSea \*
> \*\*From personal experience, peppermint oil + girl parts is a bad idea.
>
> I was washing with Dr Bronners, if you must know. \*\*
Would you like me to kiss them to make them all better? 😉
---
### Author:  [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/5 "2003-11-05T17:03:39Z")
Oddly enough, **LunaSea** , I found the same experience strangely pleasant. Rather like a cool breeze, though.
---
### Author:  [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/6 "2003-11-05T21:16:50Z")
It really depends on how diluted the soap is. At the proper strength, it provides a pleasantly tingly sensation that lasts a while after you’ve rinsed and gotten out. Too strong, and you’re leaping around the shower, screaming about how badly it burns. Unfortunately, _that_ lasts a while after you’ve rinsed off and gotten out, too.
So, peppermint gel in the proper concentration can provide clitoral stimulation, yes. Lubrication, not so much really. Peppermint gel in the improper concentration, however, is a bad, bad thing.
---
### Author:  [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/7 "2003-11-06T00:31:24Z")
**Astro** your second name isn’t Glide is it?
If you need to MAXIMIZE stimulation use Tiger Balm, \
---
### Author:  [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/8 "2003-11-06T02:30:40Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Little Plastic Ninja \*
> \*\*Oddly enough, **LunaSea** , I found the same experience strangely pleasant. Rather like a cool breeze, though. \*\*
Sounds like a York Peppermint Patty commercial.
---
### Author:  [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2003, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/9 "2003-11-06T07:30:47Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Bippy the Beardless \*
> \*\ ***Astro** your second name isn’t Glide is it?
> If you need to MAXIMIZE stimulation use Tiger Balm, \ \*\*
Owie!!! I’m crossing my legs just thinking about it…
---
### Author:  [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/10 "2003-11-06T19:01:53Z")
My wife cringes every time I mention the Altoids incident. I’d be leery of putting anything peppermint near the sensitive parts.
---
### Author:  [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/11 "2003-11-06T19:23:29Z")
**LunaSea** , my sister still cringes every time she tells the story of how she was taking a nice hot bath, and her back hurt.
“I know,” she said, a tiny christmas lightbulb blinking intermitently over her oval-shaped noggin, “I shall put a bunch of peppermint oil into my bathwater to soothe my muscles!”
---
### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/12 "2003-11-06T19:28:34Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by CrazyCatLady \*
> Too strong, and you’re leaping around the shower, screaming about how badly it burns.
You know, I got an image of my cat jumping around the shower after I turn the water on him after reading this. I’m sure it looks pretty much the same thing. 😃
---
### Author:  [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-gel-maxiimizes-clitoral-stimulation-and-female-lubrication/211494/13 "2003-11-06T21:22:58Z")
::impatiently taps her foot:: Well does anyone know if it works or not?
And if it does, where can I get some?? 😃