The Internet is flooded with websites promoting penis enlargement devices, pills, and techniques. Penis enlargement products can range in price from about $30 to over $1000, but are you really getting what you pay for?

Pills
A product once promoted by a Penthouse Playmate called Longitude proposed that men ingest two of its capsules per day for a larger penis. After one to three weeks, a small increase in penis length and girth was to be expected. During weeks four through eight, the user was to expect a noticeable thickness in the erect and flaccid state. Week nine promised that you will be both thicker and longer (1 inch or more). There was a supposed 30-day money back guarantee for the unsatisfied customer. (I just want to make it clear that this article was written a few years ago and I never tried any of these products. I have updated this article and am bringing this update for continued awareness from an unbiased perspective.)

One of the marketing schemes that Longitude used was the fact that all of its ingredients were all natural and completely safe. The ingredients were as follows: Zinc, 300 Yohimbe, Maca, Catuaba, Muira Puama, Oyster Meat, L-Arginine, Oat Straw, Nettle Leaf, Cayenne, Pumpkin Seed, Sarsaparilla, Orchic Substance, Licorice Root, Astragalus, Tribulus, Boron, and Ginseng.

After reviewing all of the literature on Longitude's ingredients, I made one conclusion: There was no substantial evidence suggesting that it actually worked. The majority of studies done on each of its ingredients, excluding zinc, arginine, and ginseng, had been conducted on laboratory animals such as rats. In addition, only one or two studies were related to sexual function. It appeared that Longitude worked by stimulating erection, not growth.

The company was able to cover this claim easily because the product did what it said it would: increase penis size 1", 2", even 3". Your penis will most likely increase to that size from the flaccid state, especially if stimulated. This was a clever way to market the product because the company never lied to the consumer, only mislead them.

Considering that the product took at least 60 days to exert its full effects, the 30-day money back guarantee didn't even make sense. Plus, the fact that you would be monitoring your penis size daily would have most likely lead to results that were not there. In the end, the company was shutdown and penis advertisements on television have become scarce.

Penis Pumping
Another product marketed to consumers is the Dr. Joel Kaplan vacuum system. The advertisement suggests that it has been FDA approved for penis enlargement. Don't be fooled. The FDA approval is only for its use as an aid to cure erectile dysfunction (not being able to get an erection). This claim has misled consumers thinking that it is proven to increase penis growth. You may experience short-term growth because you are sucking more blood into the penis. However, this may be a risky thing to do.

Surgery
As of now, the only guaranteed way to increase the size of your penis is through cosmetic surgery, followed by stretching exercises. The downside to this is the risk of damage to the nerves surrounding the area resulting in loss of erectile function; or even worse, an oddly shaped penis. The surgery is quite costly, and is still considered in the experimental stage.

Good research has not been conducted in the area of penis enlargement techniques. As of now, there are no supplements that one can take to actually increase penis growth per se. Viagra and Cialis are available for men who lack the ability to achieve and sustain an erection. Most supplements marketed as penis enlargement enhancers use the same principle. The only difference is that they use herbal extracts that have been used in Third World countries for the same thing. The results are not as significant and may pose a threat to health, given the lack of FDA regulation. Aphrodisiacs and stimulants are added to supplements in hopes of increasing libido and producing a harder and firmer erection.

Although some products on the market may show short-term benefits in regards to penis enlargement, there is no quick fix to the problem that many men encounter everyday. Research has shown that the average penis size in the flaccid state is 3.9 inches. Erect state averages between five and seven inches. One of the concerns that men have is that the size of their penis in the flaccid state is too small. Showering with other men in the locker room can lead to embarrassment and the feeling of inadequacy.

Advertisement of penis enlargement devices will continue to plague the American market. What you must be aware of is the fact that nothing, besides surgery, will permanently increase the size of your penis. Surgery has many dangers associated with it, and the risks far exceed the benefits. Don't waste your money, or risk injuring yourself for something of this magnitude.

Chris Theberge is the founder of the Nutrition and Food Web Archive, NutriWeb Designs, and Dietitian Designs. Visit The Nutrition and Food Web Archive for free nutrition and food-related resources.