Researchers monitoring libidos and orgasms found fenugreek boosted male sex drive by at least a quarter.

Sixty men aged between 25 and 52 took an extract twice a day for six weeks.

Within that time, their sexual arousal had soared by an average of 28 per cent.

Scores fell for another group of men taking placebo pills. Fenugreek seeds contain compounds called saponins and it is thought these stimulate male sex hormones including testosterone.

Researchers from the Centre for Integrative Clinical and Molecular Medicine in Brisbane, Australia, concluded: “There was significant improvement in sexual function and performance.”

Fenugreek is a bean-like plant that grows throughout Asia. For centuries, many herbs have been claimed to boost sex drive but most have failed in clinical trials.