We've been trying to wean ourselves off of eating worms ever since we saw a terrifying documentary about the subject, but it seems that many New Yorkers have been turning to the squirmy invertebrates as an amorous remedy. "Himalayan Viagra," aka "yarsagumba" or "dong chong xia cao," is being sought out by older men to jumpstart their love lives—the dried dead bodies of the worm can be brewed into an anti-impotence tea. And you know it's gotta work if people are shelling out serious bones to get it.
The virile worms come from the highlands of Nepal, where they are attacked by a beige fungus that kills and entombs them. Older NYers have been paying $800 an ounce for the slithery Viagra substitute: "It's like the ultimate invasion of the body snatchers...It's hard to come by, and the demand for it is very high because of there's a lot of hype," said Thomas Leung, owner of Kamwo, a Chinese herbal pharmacy on Grand Street. Leung, who remembers selling the worms for $6.50 decades ago, said the sweet-tasting substance is commonly used in formulas to treat chronic asthma, and is a centuries-old remedy for lung and kidney health. "The kidneys are responsible for sexual and reproductive functions, so people kind of stretch that and say, 'Well if you consume this, you'll have that.' Very few people who sell this are going to tell you that, because they want to keep the hype up," he added. He also sounds mildly amused by the absurd amount Westerners are willing to pay for it: "People always ask, 'Is it really that good?' And I say, 'It's not $800 good.' "
