Provestra review: Will it increase female libido?

Roughly 50% of women in the U.S. have experienced some sexual dysfunction in their lives, whether brought on by menopause, medication, or an unknown issue.1 This can include vaginal dryness, less satisfying orgasms, low sexual desire, and difficulty with arousal. Prescription pills and injections already exist to help women with these issues, but not everyone has insurance, and plenty of women may not want to start their attempt at treatment with a prescription drug. A supplement may seem safer, which is where Provestra comes in.

Provestra is a non-prescription supplement whose ingredients aim to increase female libido and mitigate the symptoms of menopause. But if its ingredient combination isn’t potent enough to compete with those prescription solutions, it might not be worth your time and money. That’s why we investigated each of its ingredients to determine if Provestra offers enough benefit to make it worth your while.

Provestra’s claims that it can increase libido, reduce hot flashes, improve vaginal moisture, and intensify orgasms lack sufficient clinical evidence for us to verify them or conclude that the supplement will be generally helpful to most women. The effects people experience with Provestra are likely to vary, with some people experiencing benefits (mainly thanks to a boost in helpful nutrients they may not be getting in their diet). Positive anecdotal evidence does exist, and the 67-day money-back guarantee protects the bulk of your investment, so the financial risk is low. Benefits seem likelier to be more modest than what Provestra claims, however; studies into its various ingredients show promise, but most studies utilize doses far beyond what Provestra provides. For women seeking these effects but wary of prescription medication, it should prove a relatively harmless experiment, as its ingredients are generally safe as long as you aren’t pregnant or taking blood thinners.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions involving staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles. Our research in the sexual health space is among our most thoroughly investigated.

To provide you with an accurate assessment of Provestra, our team pored over nearly 100 clinical studies revolving around women’s sexual health, menopause, and the litany of vitamins, minerals, and herbal ingredients that the supplement industry positions as cures for female sexual dysfunction. We compared the results of these studies with those related to Provestra’s closest competition, including prescription medications designed to improve women’s sexual health and libido. Members of our team did not try Provestra for themselves, but our expertise in the sexual health field has comprehensively informed our perspective.

Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this review was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy.

When evaluating Provestra, we kept some essential criteria in mind, including effectiveness, safety, and cost. Effectiveness and safety inform our overall value assessment more meaningfully than other criteria, especially in a category that seeks to compete with readily available prescription-strength alternatives. Without trying the product for ourselves, we evaluated these two criteria by poring over dozens of research papers investigating the effects of Provestra’s various ingredients.

If we consider all of these criteria with the paltry landscape of alternative non-prescription female arousal treatments in mind, Provestra’s value seems reasonable. But a cursory search for supplements with similar ingredient profiles will reveal a litany of comparable products that may not be marketed toward female sexual health, but that cost less and may provide better doses and experiences. This hurts our overall value assessment of Provestra and makes it difficult for us to recommend the product outright.

Let’s look more closely at each criterion to get an even clearer picture of Provestra’s performance.

Effectiveness

As with any supplement, Provestra will not work for everyone who takes it, and users who find success report varying efficacy timelines. Some people see results in 1-2 months, while others may not see any results at all.

No clinical research exists that examines the effects of Provestra’s specific ingredient profile and dosing, but there is plenty of research looking at components individually. Much of this research points toward a high degree of efficacy, or at least the promise of efficacy with the need for further research. But those papers almost always utilize doses that far outweigh the ingredient quantities you’ll find in Provestra.

For example, a study looking into the short- and long-term effects of ginkgo biloba extract in 99 women suffering from sexual dysfunction found only a slight increase in vaginal photoplethysmography (a clinical measure of female sexual function). That study used 300mg/day compared to Provestra’s 25mg.

Another systematic review of studies looking at the use of L-Arginine in women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. The review concludes that L-Arginine shows promise in mitigating symptoms of the disorder, but every successful study included L-Arginine in combination with other botanicals, and daily L-Arginine doses ranged from 800-6,000mg. Provestra’s L-Arginine dose is 300mg.

Safety

The one benefit from the relatively low doses we described above is that they decrease the risk of adverse effects. Most of the studies we reviewed demonstrated low side effect profiles for the ingredients in question, and when mild side effects did present themselves, they were associated with much higher doses than seen in Provestra.

That said, there are a few noteworthy warnings to consider. Pregnant people or people looking to become pregnant should not take Provestra. This is especially true if you’re already taking a prenatal vitamin, which will include many of the vitamins and minerals in Provestra and may put you at risk of over-supplementation.

On a more specific note, L-Arginine may improve sexual desire and pleasure by acting as a vasodilator. That means it widens the blood vessels, causing an increase in blood flow but a decrease in blood pressure. Anyone with low blood pressure, whether due to medication or ailment, takes a significant risk by incorporating L-Arginine into their daily regimen.

In other studies, Provestra’s ingredients have been associated with side effects including:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Flushing
• Diarrhea
• Increased asthma symptoms
• Gout

Again, these side effects are typically seen at much higher doses than Provestra provides, but you should still be aware of the risks. We always advocate for consulting a doctor before beginning any new supplement, regardless of your health status.

Cost

Regularly taking Provestra requires a significant investment, as a one-month supply costs $59.95. However, Leading Edge Health offers a generous money-back guarantee that helps you recoup some of the cost if you find the product ineffective, as well as bulk savings discounts.

For example, if you order a two-month supply instead of a one-month supply, the per-month cost drops to $45, saving you $30 on a two-month supply. You can order up to a six-month supply, and your savings increase the more you buy. A 67-day money-back guarantee covers your orders, giving you plenty of time to try out the supplement for two months before deciding if you want to return it. You can return the used product for a full refund minus shipping costs.

Of course, that cost looks a little less enticing when you compare Provestra with other products that either aim to do the same thing or provide you with nearly identical ingredients. Here’s how the cost of Provestra stacks up against viable alternatives (some of which you can acquire with health insurance):

*Reflects maximum bulk/subscriptions savings where available.

For a one-time purchase, Provestra is tied for the second highest price on our list among non-prescription options. But with a bulk purchase, it fits closer to the middle of the pack.

Convenience

We consider convenience on the basis of a company’s website design, customer service, guarantees, and shipping logistics. We also consider any advantage a company’s system has over competitors in the same space. For example, the most obvious advantage Provestra has over prescription options is that you don’t need to make a doctor’s appointment or take a trip to your local pharmacy to access it. But the same could be said of any of Provestra’s closest competitors.

On the site design, customer service, and shipping logistics side, Provestra and HerSolution are nearly identical — likely because they’re owned by the same parent company that uses a similar site template for all of their products. And the site is fine. It’s relatively easy to find most of the information you could want, and the live chat feature is staffed by either very good bots or actual people. However, other companies employ much more user-friendly site layouts and have subscription features that make it so you don’t have to remember when to reorder or spend any more time on the site than you have to.

Provestra’s 67-day money-back guarantee is long enough for most women who are going to feel a difference from the product to do so. Again, this is the same guarantee you’d get from HerSolution, but it’s a lot more that you’d get from a pharmaceutical company.

Provestra is a supplement designed to increase women’s sexual desire and improve arousal. It does not contain synthetic hormones, but its ingredients seek to balance your body’s hormones and provide nutrients you may be lacking. At its core, Provestra is designed to address the issues keeping your body from desiring or enjoying sex.

While Provestra is marketed as a “female libido enhancement,” it may treat several issues specific to a woman’s sexual evolution, including menopause and perimenopause symptoms. Menopause begins 12 months after your final period, usually after the age of 50,2 but perimenopause can start in your 30s and includes many of the same symptoms.3

In addition to improving libido, here are some benefits Provestra claims they can provide regarding menopause and perimenopause:

• Increasing vaginal lubrication
• Reducing and decreasing intensity of hot flashes
• Decreasing night sweats
• Regulating menstrual cycles
• Improving memory
• Improving sleep
• Reducing irritability and mood swings

Provestra’s parent company is Leading Edge Health, the majority of whose lineup consists of supplements aimed a male sexual health. Many of the ingredients found in those male-oriented supplements can also be found in Provestra and Leading Edge Health’s similar female enhancement product, HerSolution. However, the formulas and doses are different, so we do not recommend taking a male enhancement product if you’re a woman, even when the ingredients look similar or the price looks more favorable.

According to our research, Provestra has the potential to boost a woman’s libido and temper some menopausal symptoms. But these effects are more likely to appear in women who are already deficient in certain nutrients that Provestra can provide. The supplement contains mostly vitamins and minerals in quantities you could find in many daily multivitamins, and the doses of its other active ingredients are often far below what has been shown effective in trials.

If Provestra does work for you, it can take several weeks for the effects to set in. Your age, hormone levels, and other factors could impact your body’s response to Provestra.

When a woman approaches menopause, estrogen levels drop, which can contribute to low sex drive and dry vaginal tissues.4 Ironically, having excess estrogen (often from hormone therapy) can also cause low libido. Provestra aims to balance estrogen levels, helping increase sexual desire. Your hormone levels at the start can influence how long it takes Provestra to work — if they’re too low or too high, it may take longer to work than if they’re closer to average.

Leading Edge Health suggests taking the supplement for at least 30 days, even if you aren’t experiencing noticeable results, before initiating a return or discontinuing use. Because the company offers a 67-day money-back guarantee, you can try out the supplement for two months and still have a week to make your decision.

Provestra employs ingredients that have some clinical evidence to support their role in balancing women’s hormones, specifically estrogen. But many appear in doses far below what we found in those research papers.

Here’s a quick look at Provestra’s ingredients:

Let’s look more closely at each ingredient class — the vitamin, mineral, and amino acid combination and the botanical blend — to see how they work and determine if Provestra includes enough of each for you to benefit.

Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and compounds

Botanical blend

Now, let’s look at Provestra’s botanical blend. To be worth your investment, we believe a botanical and herbal blend requires substantial credible research. Provestra falls a bit short here on the dosing side.

Strangely, with the exception of 16mg of Korean ginseng, every botanical dose in Provestra is 25mg. We couldn’t find specific evidence in any clinical studies to support that dose level for a single botanical listed, let alone eight of them.

To their credit, Leading Edge Health doesn’t hide these botanical ingredients in a proprietary blend to obscure their dosages. Many of Provestra’s competitors do this, and it makes it hard to recommend them in almost every case.

Provestra’s ingredients aren’t generally associated with any serious adverse effects. Most of them are present at doses that should pose little risk to the average woman. That said, there are some things to be aware of, even if it’s only to explain a feeling you have after taking Provestra. For example, niacinamide can cause flushing, which some women might misinterpret as a menopausal symptom. And because of its various vitamins, typical multivitamin side effects like upset stomach or uneven heart rate may occur.

Provestra isn’t recommended for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. If you become pregnant, you should stop taking it. It’s also not recommended for women who take blood thinners, as some of its ingredients work as natural anticoagulants and vasodilators. The other product from Leading Edge Health, HerSolution, may offer a different safety profile than Provestra’s, but it comes with its own potential risks thanks to the inclusion of DHEA22 and melatonin (both of which are listed among the box’s supplement facts, but, alarmingly, neither of which are mentioned anywhere on the HerSolution site).23

This disagreement between the advertised ingredients and what’s actually in the product is unusual among sexual health supplements, including other offerings from Leading Edge Health.

The best thing you can do before introducing Provestra or any supplement to your daily regime would be to talk to your doctor.

A one-month supply of Provestra costs $59.95. This includes 30 tablets. If that cost seems a little steep but you have additional capital to invest, you can save money by making a bulk purchase. Here’s what that looks like:

Despite the difference in ingredients, these prices are more or less identical to those offered on HerSolution, though Provestra offers 4- and 5-month supply options and HerSolution does not.

Shipping is free on all orders over $200 and costs about $9 for standard shipping otherwise. Orders typically ship within one business day of purchase and can be tracked on the website.

Leading Edge Health provides a 67-day money-back guarantee for Provestra. They recommend trying the supplement for at least two months. If it doesn’t work for you, you can return it for a refund minus shipping costs. Since HerSolution is also made by Leading Edge Health, it also comes with a 67-day money-back guarantee.

Is Provestra a good value?

Compared to the ingredients in multivitamins containing botanicals, the cost of a single bottle of Provestra is high, and the value is about equal between HerSolution and Provestra. That said, Leading Edge Health helps increase the value by offering bulk savings discounts that help cut costs. Ultimately, Provestra’s value lies in the middle of the road among hormone-free female libido enhancers.

Compared to prescription medicines that your insurance might cover entirely, the value of either isn’t as compelling. But if your insurance doesn’t cover such prescriptions and you want to try something that’s theoretically designed to enhance female sexual experiences, then it might be worth a try, especially given the money-back guarantee.

Because sexual health is intimate information you might not want everyone to know about, Leading Edge Health takes many steps to preserve confidentiality. For example, your package ships in a plain mailer with no information that could give away what’s inside. The return address merely lists “Shipping Manager” and an address. This is typical of products sold in this space, as we’ve seen it on other Leading Edge supplements, as well as those of their competitors.

On your statement, you’ll see a charge from leadingedgehealth.com or leminternet.com. Either URL would lead any curious individual to one of the company’s two websites, which both advertise their wide assortment of supplements. It’s not as discreet as it could be, but there’s still no way to know exactly what you bought.

Payments are SSL Secured, meaning that your credit card information and other personal details are protected through encryption.

There are plenty of female libido enhancers on the market, so it may be challenging to decide which one is the best option for you. To make matters more confusing, many non-prescription options contain proprietary blends of botanical ingredients that the companies list with a single dose to account for them all. That means you won’t be able to compare doses of certain ingredients across brands. Provestra and HerSolution admirably reveal the doses of each ingredient, even when those doses are low enough to give some women pause before trying them.

We’ll take a look at both prescription and non-prescription options, as well as some other potential solutions to increase female libido, improve sexual experiences, and temper the symptoms of menopause.

If you want to know our top picks, you can take a look at our comprehensive guide to the best instant female arousal pills. Otherwise, keep reading to learn more about Provestra’s alternatives, including other female arousal pills, injections, and prescription products.

Non-prescription female arousal pills

Like Provestra, there are other non-prescription female arousal pills on the market. But one product stands out as Provestra’s direct competitor — another Leading Edge Health product called HerSolution. While these two products are similar, it’s clear that Provestra was created specifically to help alleviate menopause and perimenopause symptoms in addition to being a libido enhancer. On the other hand, HerSolution’s formulation is specifically intended to enhance sex drive (and any effects on menopause or perimenopause symptoms are incidental).

So, if you’re not experiencing menopause or perimenopause symptoms and want to enhance your libido, HerSolution may be a better option. If you want a supplement that intentionally does double duty, Provestra is the one for you. Both supplements are taken once daily, and efficacy depends on many factors like age and hormone level.

With so many features in common, choosing between these two supplements comes down to a few considerations: your symptoms, their ingredients, and your monthly supply preference. These two products cost the same amount for a one-, two-, three-, or six-month supply. HerSolution does not provide the option to buy a four- or five-month supply. Both products are also covered by a 67-day money-back guarantee and qualify for free shipping with orders over $200.

Provestra and HerSoultion have only two ingredients in common — niacinamide and ginkgo biloba. Other than that, HerSolution’s formula is unique:

• Niacinamide: 20mg
• Tribulis terrestris: 150mg
• Hops extract: 200mg
• Mucuna pruriens: 125mg
• Ginkgo biloba: 125mg
• Epimedium sagittatum (a.k.a. horny goat weed): 100mg
• Cayenne pepper: 30mg
• DHEA: 25mg
• Melatonin: 5mg

Niacinamide is the only vitamin in HerSolution compared to 11 present in Provestra. We found this discrepancy among several female libido enhancers: some utilize multivitamin complexes alongside targeted botanicals, minerals, and amino acids. Others leave most or all of the vitamins out.

Of course, there are a few other noteworthy competitors that aren’t produced by Leading Edge Health. Among them, only two of Provestra’s top competitors list the doses for their entire ingredient list rather than hiding them within a proprietary blend. Moon Juice’s Sex Dust is the only option with a proprietary blend we can confidently recommend, as its blend contains a dose more than 300% larger than the next most abundant blend has to offer.

Let’s take a closer look at how Provestra compares in cost and ingredients to its top non-prescription competitors:

With its $20 price point, multivitamin content, and admirably high dose for its proprietary blend, High T Women appears to be the best non-prescription option if budget is your top concern. If you want to maximize your dose of botanical ingredients, Moon Juice Sex Dust is probably your best bet. Given its price (especially if you buy in bulk) and the fact that you can clearly see all of their ingredients, Provestra and HerSolution offer about the same value. If you want the multivitamin content, go for Provestra. If you’re already on a multivitamin, it would be safer and likely more beneficial to reach for HerSolution.

Prescription female arousal pills

If you’re looking for a prescription pill to treat your libido issues, there is currently only one option on the market. Addyi is an FDA-approved prescription pill created to treat Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). While people with lowered sex drives can live without distress, those with HSDD experience mental anguish and require treatment to correct their hormonal imbalance. Unlike Provestra, you’ll need to consult a doctor to access Addyi.

One of the other major differences between Addyi and Provestra is side effects. Provestra has a much lower side effect profile. For example, if you take Addyi, you may experience:

• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• Dry mouth
• Sleepiness
• Hypotension
• Loss of consciousness

Another significant difference between the two treatments is that Addyi is intended only for premenopausal women. If you’re already feeling the effects of menopause, it may be too late to experience the benefits of Addyi, while Provestra is intended to help treat menopause symptoms.

Like Provestra, it may take some time to see the effects of Addyi, even though clinical trials do show that patients eventually have more sexually satisfying events per month.24 To see noticeable results, you should take Addyi for at least four weeks. However, you should discontinue use if you don’t see any results within eight weeks.

Because Addyi is a prescription drug, prices vary, and you have the added cost of a doctor consultation. However, Addyi does offer $15 consultations through their website and will ship the medication directly to you.

Prescription female arousal injections

If you don’t want to take a pill at all, you also have one injectable option to increase libido. Vyleesi requires a self-injection 45-minutes before sexual activity (not to exceed one dose per day or eight doses per month). Because it’s a prescription, you’ll need to consult a doctor before starting Vyleesi.

Like Addyi, the cost of Vyleesi varies based on insurance coverage. But the Vyleesi website offers doctor consultations for around $15 and will ship the prescription to you.

Using Vyleesi may result in a wide range of side effects, including:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Flushing
• Injection site reactions
• Headache
• Increased blood pressure
• Decreased heart rate
• Skin darkening
• Cough
• Tiredness
• Tingling and dizziness
• Congestion

Vyleesi’s clinical trials show that it is generally effective, increasing patients’ sexual desire and lowering their distress over a one-month period.25

If you’re considering Vyleesi as an alternative to Provestra, keep in mind that the drug is intended only for premenopausal women. Once you’ve started experiencing symptoms of menopause, it may be too late to take it. Also, because Vyleesi increases heart rate and blood pressure, it may be too dangerous to take if you live with cardiovascular or hypertension issues.

Lifestyle changes

Because libido is such a complicated topic and menopause affects so many aspects of a woman’s life, there may not be a silver bullet — whether a prescription, supplement, or lifestyle adjustment — that can address the issue. Fortunately, there are some lifestyle adjustments you can try in conjunction with other therapies to maximize the chances that you’ll find some success.

Of course, it can be extremely frustrating when you feel terrible and someone comes along and tells you to exercise more and eat right. We don’t mean these suggestions to be prescriptive and we don’t judge anyone for curling up with a pint of ice cream instead of signing up for a half-marathon. There is some clinical evidence behind these strategies, but do what’s right for you first and try these when you’re up for it.