Les huîtres améliorent-elles la libido ?

Dernière mise à jour : 15 août 2026

• WordPress
• LinkedIn
• Courrier

You know the joke. Someone orders oysters and a friend asks whether they have plans with their wife tonight. I have heard it more times than I can count — which made me wonder whether there is any science behind the reputation at all.

So I went looking through the literature. There is no scientific evidence that oysters improve libido. The same applies to the wider family of beliefs about animal products and sexual potency — the traditional idea that eating an animal’s organ strengthens your own. One of the better-designed studies on that question, from New Zealand, tested deer velvet for any effect on erections or on male and female sexual function, and found nothing significant.

What oysters actually contain

Where oysters do earn their reputation is nutritionally. In 100 grams — about 6 medium oysters:

1. Zinc — 605% of the daily recommended amount. Essential for immune function, and it does have a role in testosterone synthesis and sperm health.
2. Vitamin B12 — 324%. Essential for the nervous system.
3. Sélénium — 91%. An antioxidant.
4. Vitamin D — 80%. Also important for immune health.
5. Iron — 37%. Needed to make haemoglobin.

Note what that list does and does not say. These nutrients matter for sexual health in the sense that a deficiency in them causes problems — so correcting a real deficiency can help. Loading up on them when you are not deficient does not push anything higher. That distinction is the honest answer to the oyster question.

It also argues against reaching for a supplement instead. Zinc from food is not a concern, but taking high-dose zinc tablets for months can cause copper deficiency and interfere with some antibiotics, and selenium has a genuinely narrow margin between enough and too much. If you think you are deficient, that is a question a blood test answers.

Two cautions worth knowing: oysters are high in cholesterol and sodium, which matters if you have heart disease, hypertension or kidney problems. And raw oysters can carry Vibrio vulnificus, which is genuinely dangerous for anyone with liver disease or reduced immunity.

If your libido really has dropped

This is the part that matters more than the seafood. A genuine, persistent fall in sexual desire is a symptom, not a food problem, and it is worth taking seriously rather than eating around. The usual causes are entirely treatable once identified: low testosterone, thyroid disorder, depression, medication side effects (blood pressure drugs and antidepressants are frequent culprits), poor sleep, excess alcohol, and relationship stress.

Two things follow from that list. If one of your regular medicines is the likely cause, do not stop it on your own — several of them are dangerous to stop abruptly, and there is usually an alternative that can be swapped in under supervision. And if low mood is part of the picture, it deserves attention in its own right rather than being treated as a sexual problem: depression is one of the commonest causes of lost desire, and it is treatable.

No amount of zinc fixes any of those. If desire has genuinely changed and stayed changed, that deserves a proper assessment — and unlike the oyster question, this one has real answers.

Si vous avez des préoccupations concernant la libido, la faible testostérone ou la santé sexuelle masculine, le Dr Soarawee Weerasopone propose des consultations spécialisées au siège de l'hôpital de Bangkok. Prendre rendez-vous. Les rendez-vous au Samitivej Sriracha Hospital peuvent être pris en appelant le service d'urologie au 088-022-1445.

L’hôpital Bangkok offre également un service de télé-consultation pour les patients qui ne peuvent pas se rendre en personne, y compris les patients internationaux — contactez-nous à l’avance par e-mail au service d’urologie. bhquro@bdms.co.th. It suits an initial conversation about desire and about which medicines might be contributing, although the blood tests that answer the testosterone and thyroid questions have to be done in person. Samitivej Sriracha is in-person only.

Foire aux questions (FAQ)

Les huîtres améliorent-elles réellement la libido ?

Il n'existe aucune preuve scientifique directe prouvant que les huîtres augmentent la libido. Cependant, les huîtres sont riches en zinc, en sélénium, en vitamine B12 et en vitamine D, des nutriments qui soutiennent la production de testostérone, la qualité du sperme et la santé sexuelle en général. Tout avantage provient indirectement de la correction des carences nutritionnelles plutôt que de l'huître elle-même.

Le zinc et le sélénium sont tous deux des minéraux présents dans les huîtres qui soutiennent la santé sexuelle.

Une portion de 100 grammes (environ 6 huîtres moyennes) apporte 605% de l'apport journalier recommandé en zinc, 324% de vitamine B12, 91% de sélénium, 80% de vitamine D et 37% de fer. Le zinc, en particulier, joue un rôle dans la synthèse de la testostérone et la santé des spermatozoïdes, tandis que le sélénium agit comme un antioxydant protégeant les cellules reproductrices.

Combien d'huîtres dois-je manger pour en ressentir les bienfaits ?

Environ 6 huîtres moyennes (100 grammes) dépassent déjà les besoins quotidiens en zinc et en vitamine B12. En manger plus ne procure pas d'avantage supplémentaire et peut augmenter l'exposition au cholestérol et au sodium. Une portion raisonnable une à deux fois par semaine est généralement suffisante.

Y a-t-il des risques à manger des huîtres régulièrement ?

Oui. Les huîtres sont riches en cholestérol et en sodium, ce qui peut ne pas convenir aux personnes souffrant de maladies cardiaques, d'hypertension artérielle ou de problèmes rénaux. Les huîtres crues peuvent également contenir des bactéries telles que Vibrio vulnificus, ce qui est dangereux pour les personnes souffrant de maladies hépatiques ou dont le système immunitaire est affaibli. Mangez toujours auprès d'une source réputée et consultez votre médecin si vous avez des problèmes de santé sous-jacents.

Should I take a zinc supplement instead?

Not without knowing whether you are deficient. Zinc from food carries no risk, but months of high-dose zinc tablets can cause copper deficiency and interfere with the absorption of some antibiotics, and selenium has a narrow margin between an adequate intake and too much. A blood test answers the deficiency question directly, and correcting a deficiency that is not there achieves nothing.

What should I do if my libido has genuinely dropped?

A persistent fall in sexual desire is a symptom worth investigating rather than a dietary problem. Common and treatable causes include low testosterone, thyroid disorders, depression, medication side effects (particularly blood pressure medications and antidepressants), poor sleep, excess alcohol, and relationship stress. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own — ask about swapping it instead. A consultation with a urologist or andrologist can identify which cause applies and treat it directly.

Avertissement : This content is written and reviewed by Dr. Soarawee Weerasopone, a board-certified urologist at Bangkok Hospital Headquarters. It is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. No food or supplement treats low libido, and no prescribed medicine should be stopped without medical advice. No medical advice, diagnosis or prescription is provided through personal messaging channels. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any medical treatment.