Horny Goat Weed extract supplement information, review and side effects by Ray Sahelian, M.D. author of Natural Sex Boosters
Will this herb make you horny, too?
Horny goat weed is a pungent
ornamental herb found in Asia and the Mediterranean. The Chinese call it Yin Yang Huo,
which loosely means "licentious goat plant." Legend has it that the name
came
from a herder who noticed his goats becoming more sexually active after eating the plant.
Supplement companies have adopted the provocative name by which it is known in the U.S.
Horny goat weed plant has the botanical name epimedium because it is similar to a plant
found in the ancient Asian kingdom of Media, now a part of Iran. Epimedium is a genus of
many related plant species and some are used for medicinal purposes, including E.
sagittatum, E. brevicornum, and E. koreanum. Although horny goat
weed has a
history of traditional use for disorders of the kidneys, joints, and liver, its principle
use in the western world is as an aphrodisiac and to combat fatigue.
Horny Goat Weed extract, 400 mg, 90 Capsules - formulated by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
Horny goat weed
is one of the most valued tonic herbs used by Chinese doctors. In China it is
especially used for supporting healthy sexual activity - thus its name, horny
goat weed. This horny goat weed extract supplement is standardized to 10% flavonoids as icariin.
Supplement facts:
Each extract pill contains:
Epimedium Sagittatum - 400 mg standardized leaf extract (10% flavonoids as icariin)
Click here to buy Horny Goat Weed extract supplement, Passion Rx sexual
enhancer, additional herbs for sexual enhancement, or to sign up to a FREE newsletter
Subscribe to a FREE
Supplement
Research Update newsletter. Once or twice a month you will receive an email
with a review of several studies on supplements and natural medicine topics - including horny
goat weed herb supplement research studies - and their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
Suggested use: As a dietary supplement, take one pill before breakfast a few times a week, or as recommended by your health care provider.
Composition of the herb
Horny goat weed herb has a number of
substances including prenylated flavonol glycosides, ikarisoside A, icarisid
II, epimedoside A, icariin, epimedin B, yinyanghuo A - E, and epimedokoreanoside.
Flavonoids include chrysoeriol, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol, and
luteolin.
Passion
Rx For Men And Women
Medical Doctor Formulated Sexual Pleasure Pills
Passion-Rx
provides results that are often noticed within two to three days, but continue
to improve over several days of use. Our feedback thus far indicates more
than 80% user satisfaction within a week, and 90 percent by the end of the
second week.
Passion Rx enhances libido and sexual thoughts; Erectile function; Orgasms and climaxes; Energy and stamina. The potent herbal extracts in Passion Rx include ashwagandha, catuaba, cnidium monnieri, horny goat weed extract, maca, Mucuna-Pruriens, muira puama, Tribulus-Terrestris, passion flower, and Tongkat Ali.
A Unique Formula
Dr. Sahelian and his research staff have tested various doses and extracts of
dozens of herbs from a number or raw material suppliers to determine
the ideal dosage and combination for optimal aphrodisiac properties with the fewest side
effects. After years of trial and error, a highly effective
proprietary
blend with more than a dozen herbal extracts from the best raw material suppliers has been created which works within
days. The exact dosages and extract potencies of this unique aphrodisiac blend is a
close kept secret only known to the doctor and his research staff. You will only find this exact combination in Passion Rx.
In recent years science has made breakthroughs in
the understanding of sexual dysfunction. But, for hundreds of years,
civilizations around the world have known about locally grown herbs that achieve
wonderful results with far fewer side effects than prescription drugs.
Now, renowned physician and herbal
expert Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D., author of
Natural-Sex-Boosters, has discovered a
combination of exotic herbs from the Amazon jungle, India, China, Malaysia, and Africa,
that support healthy desire and performance, as well as
to simply enhance sexual pleasure. Passion Rx with Horny goat weed extract provides a
natural solution for those looking a natural alternative to pharmaceutical
medicines.
Horny goat weed icariin
Mario Dell'Agli, a researcher at the University of
Milan, has found that icariin, a substance found in horny goat weed, has the
potential for blocking an erection-inhibiting enzyme as well as Viagra. Erectile
dysfunction is a common condition worldwide, and drugs like Pfizer Inc's Viagra
or sildenafil, Eli Lilly and Co's Cialis or tadalafil, and Bayer AG's Levitra or
vardenafil, work by increasing blood flow to the genitals. The medicines inhibit
an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5. Because icariin targets the enzyme
more precisely, it may have fewer side effects than Viagra, according to Mario
Dell'Agli. Icariin is present in the horny goat weed in large amounts and its
activity against phosphodiesterase type 5 is lower compared to Viagra.
Prescription drug and
medication interactions
Q. I would like to know if the following prescription drugs would conflict with
the use of horny goat weed: Lysinopril and HCTZ. Both of these drugs are being
used to control high blood pressure.
A. Horny goat weed, as with almost all herbs used for sexual
enhancement, has not been tested in combination with prescription medications.
Therefore the interactions are not well understood. As a general rule, if your
doctor approves, you can start with a quarter of a capsule for a few days and
gradually increase the dosage if no side effects are noticed and stop the herb
if you notice any effects that are not desirable. Each person has a different
response to herbal supplements and it is not easy to predict what benefits and
side effects a person will experience when taking an herbal preparation or
combining it with medications.
Horny goat weed studies
Very little research has been published in the Western medical literature regarding
horny goat weed extract. Our Chinese study investigated the therapeutic effect of horny goat weed
(epimedium sagittatum) on 22 patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis.
Horny goat weed had a sex enhancing effect and improved their
quality of life.
Effect of Epimedium sagittatum horny goat weed on quality of life and cellular immunity in patients of hemodialysis maintenance
Dept. of Nephrology, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing. 1995
Our previous study had demonstrated that horny goat weed exerted immune enhancing effect on the animal model of chronic renal insufficiency. In
present study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of horny goat weed on
patients on hemodialysis
maintenance. 22 cases of regular hemodialytic patients were treated with horny
goat weed
in the form of decoction. Horny goat weed had
sexual enhancement effect and improved the quality of life in the patients with
chronic renal failure. Interleukin 2 (IL-2) activity of peripheral blood
monocytes stimulated by PHA was increased significantly in the patients treated
with horny goat weed. Horny goat weed has a therapeutic effect on sexual
disorder and immunologic inadequacy in the patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis.
Mechanism of action
The exact way that horny goat weed works remains unclear. Animal studies have shown
that it may influence levels of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, serotonin, and
dopamine and reduce cortisol levels. The leaves of horny goat weed contain a variety of flavonoids
(one prominent flavonoid is icariin), sterols and an alkaloid called magnaflorine. It’s quite possible
horny goat weed
influences several aspects of human sexual biochemistry. Icariin is known to
help with erectile function.
Side effects, safety, risks, and warning
Side effects from horny goat weed are likely with high dosage use. Horny goat weed herb has not been available long enough in western
countries for us to have a good understanding of its potential side
effects when
misused. However, there is a possibility that very high doses of horny goat
weed pills - just like many herbs that have a stimulating nature - can
cause heart rhythm disturbances or increase heart rate. A more common
horny goat weed side effect is insomnia when this herb is used in high
doses.
Q. Is rapid heart beat a horny goat weed side effect?
A. Yes, many sex herbs have
the side effect of rapid heart beat when a very high dose is used, or a moderate
dose is used daily without breaks.
Q. Is insomnia a common horny goat weed side effect?
A. Yes, in high doses, insomnia or shallow sleep can occur, even if the supplement is taken in the
morning.
Review
Horny goat weed is, in fact, likely to make you horny. Most users will notice a
mild to moderate effect on the third or fourth day of use. Long term benefits
and side effects of horny goat weed are not known, hence it is preferable
to take breaks from use.
Horny goat weed
research
Flavonol glycosides from Epimedium sagittatum ( horny goat
weed ) and their neurite outgrowth activity on PC12h cells.
Planta Med. 2000 Aug;66(6):575-7.
The MeOH extract of horny goat weed was found to show neurite outgrowth activity on cultured PC12h cells. Bioassay-guided
fractionation of the MeOH extract yielded six prenylated flavonol glycosides,
ikarisoside A, icarisid II, epimedoside A, icariin, epimedin B, and epimedokoreanoside-I as the active ingredients.
Effects of Epimedium sagittatum (horny goat weed) on immunopathology and
extracellular matrices in rats with chronic renal insufficiency
Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi. 1994 Feb;33(2):83-6.
Chinese herb medicine, horny goat weed, was used to treat animal models of
chronic renal insufficiency induced in Wistar rats with 7/8 nephrectomy. The
results showed: Horny goat weed decreased significantly the level of BUN and
serum creatinine in the rats. Horny goat weed inhibited the hypertrophy of glomeruli in the rats.
Horny goat weed inhibited deposition of IgG, C3, Fib
and FN along the glomerular capillary walls in these rats.
Extract
Horny goat weed is sold in a number of extract potencies, including various
percentages of icariin and epimediosides.
Horny goat weed supplement emails
Q. Can horny goat weed extract be combined with other herbs such as yohimbe,
maca, or tribulus?
A. I can only speak from my personal and professional experience.
Thus far I have combined horny goat weed with several herbs and have not found
any significant side effects when the dosages have been kept low.
Q. How long does it take for horny goat weed supplements to start working?
A. It may take 3 or 4 days for the full effect of horny goat weed to be noticed.
Q. Can horny goat weed herb be taken regularly for many months?
A. As with most herbs, I recommend taking breaks from use since it is
possible daily use of horny goat weed could lead to side effects. In the case of
horny goat weed you could take it for 1 or 2 weeks on, 1 or 2 weeks off. Horny
goat weed has been used in Asia for centuries, however no long term human research is
available to indicate safety and side effect profile.
Q. Is it okay to take GNC horny goat weed
extract with fish oils.
A. There's no reason to suspect that fish oils and horny goat weed
interfere with each other. The combination should be safe as long as neither
supplement is being taken in excess.
Q. Is horny goat weed herb addictive?
A. I have not come across any indication that this herb has
addictive potential.
Q. I find that if I take more than three
capsules of horny goat weed supplement for a few days, I feel fatigues rather
than energized.
A. Horny goat weed increases
energy. But the dosage makes a difference. Too little horny goat weed may not do
much, and too high a dose of horny goat weed, by causing insomnia, could lead to
fatigue.
Q. If a person has a
bleeding hemorrhoid occasional. Will horny goat weed supplements cause it to bleed more
often? I was just wondering because the weed is suppose to send blood to the
genitals.
A. We are not aware of such connection, but then again
much yet needs to be learned regarding the physiological effects of horny goat
weed.
Q. Is there a horny goat weed tea?
A. I have seen a tea product in a health
food store but don't know how effective it is, I think it was mixed with other
herbs.
Q. Do you know of a horny goat weed review site? For instance how do i know
a Pinnacle horny goat weed pill is better than another pill brand?
A. I have not come across such websites that review
horny goat weed side effects and benefits. and the differences between brands
such as Pinnacle horny goat weed, GNC horny goat weed product or the dozens of other horny goat
weed products available for sale either solo or combined with other sex herbs.
Q. Can horny goat weed and maca be taken together?
A. I don't see why horny goat weed and maca wouldn't go
well together as long as the dosages are kept low to avoid overstimulation.
Q. I am 52 years old with a slightly enlarged prostate.
I just purchased a bottle of horny goat weed and was wondering if there are
potential long-term effects that might increase my risk of prostate cancer. My
present PSA level is 4.4 (which is normal for me). A biopsy indicated no
presence of cancer, and I am in excellent health. My BPH symptoms are relatively
minor. Does horny goat weed increase testosterone levels?
A. Long term human studies are not available with horny
goat weed herb so we really don't know if it affects the prostate or PSA test,
whether it affects in a positive or negative way, or how horny goat weed
influences testosterone levels, if any. Most people do not need to take horny
goat weed every day, anyway.
Q. How will horny goat weed react to heart medication
that I take. that being Toprol XL 200 mg. and Plavix 75 Mg. and Altace 10 mg.
A. We don't suggest the use of sex herbs such as horny
goat weed to those who are on heart medicines. We cannot predict the reaction of
horny goat weed with these medicines since each person will react differently.
Beyond that, it will be up to you and your doctor to make the decision regarding
the use of supplements.
Q. In your horny goat weed review, do you find this
herb is better than other sexual enhancing herbs?
A. Each person has their own preference. In my review
of horny goat weed, I would rate this herb in the top ten aphrodisiac herbs that
are commonly available.
Q. Can a woman take horny goat weed?
A. This herb is appropriate for use by a woman. Most sex herbs work
in men and women.
This page was
last updated January 2009.
See a YouTube information video on
Horny Goat Weed sex
enhancer