Horny Goat Weed extract side effects and sex enhancer: Will it 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 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.
   This herb is effective as a sexual enhancer but it takes a few days for it to work. Unlike prescription medications used for erectile dysfunction that work within and hour or two, herbs take several days to be effective.


Horny Goat Weed extract, 400 mg - 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 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 prenylflavones, ikarisoside A, icarisid II, epimedoside A, icariin, icaritin, epimedin B, yinyanghuo A - E, and epimedokoreanoside. Flavonoids include chrysoeriol, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol, and luteolin. See also sagittatins. See also icariins.

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Horny goat weed icariin
Mario Dell'Agli, a researcher at the University of Milan, has looked into horny goat weed, which has a compound called icariin, as a 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. 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 (the enzyme) is lower compared to Viagra.

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 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.

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.

Q. Is it ok to take a horny goat weed supplement if I am taking ALTACE (ramipril) for controlling high blood pressure?
   A. Much depends on the dosage being used for the horny goat weed and the blood pressure medication. Many sexual herbs can speed heart rate. It is up to you and your physician to make the final decision.

This page was last updated in 2009.

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