Horny Goat Weed extract information and Horny Goat Weed side effects

Horny Goat Weed: Will it make you horny, too? by Ray Sahelian, M.D., author of Natural Sex Boosters

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 horny goat weed 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 Epimedium sagittatum, Epimedium brevicornum, and Epimedium 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.

Horny Goat Weed supplement facts:
Each Horny Goat Weed extract pill contains:
Epimedium Sagittatum  - 400 mg standardized leaf extract (10% flavonoids as icariin)

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Suggested use: As a dietary supplement, take one horny goat weed extract pill before breakfast a few times a week, or as recommended by your health care provider.

Composition of horny goat weed 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 with Horny Goat Weed extract -- For Men And Women

Medical Doctor Formulated Sexual Pleasure Pills with Horny Goat Weed

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, passion flower, tribulus terrestris, and tongkat ali. A Version of Passion Rx is available without Yohimbe.

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 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.


Horny goat weed 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.

Horny goat weed side effects - horny goat weed 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, including horny goat weed, 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, a common horny goat weed side effect is insomnia or shallow sleep, even if the supplement is taken in the morning.

Horny goat weed herb 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.

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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.

Horny goat weed 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 horny goat weed 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 horny goat weed 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. Horny goat weed is appropriate for a woman. Most sex herbs work in men and women.

This horny goat weed supplement page was last updated January 2008.

Horny Goat Weed side effect
Horny Goat Weed review