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Hands down, horny goat weed is one of the best named herbs on the face of the planet.
The name of the plant pretty accurately describes its purpose and origins. Horny goat weed was originally named by a farmer, who noticed that his goats became particularly frisky after they’d eaten a particular type of herb in the field.
It didn’t take long after that for people to speculate that the herb might have the same effect on humans as it does on goats.
Since then, horny goat weed has been recognized as an effective herb for helping to enhance libido and sexual performance. But does it actually work, or are people simply buying into a marketing gimmick due to the plant’s funny name?
In this article, we’re going to delve into the science and the potential uses of horny goat weed. By the end of the article, you’ll have a much better understanding about this herb and what it can do for you.
What Will You Learn?
- What Is Horny Goat Weed?
- Horny Goat Weed Benefits
- Does Horny Goat Weed Work?
- Horny Goat Weed Side Effects
- How to Use Horny Goat Weed
- Effective Horny Goat Weed Supplements
What Is Horny Goat Weed?
The name horny goat weed may be a reinterpretation of the herb’s original name, but that doesn’t mean that the herb is anything new. Known by its original Chinese name yin yang huo, horny goat weed has been used for hundreds – if not thousands – of years to help improve male sexual health.
The plant, which is endemic to China, comes in about 50 different varieties. Pretty much all of the different varieties share similar characteristics and provide similar benefits.
The plant was originally discerned by a Chinese goat herder. This goat herder noticed that one of his flocks of goats enjoyed consuming a certain type of herb that grew on his farm. He also noticed that this group of goats displayed far more sexual activity than any of his other goats.
The plant has other names that are less indicative of its main use, though. It’s also known as Bishop’s Cap or Fairy Wings, or by its botanical name Epimedium.
Horny goat weed can, of course, be used to help enhance sexual function. It has also been used to help people overcome allergies, fight cardiovascular problems like atherosclerosis, eliminate nerve pain, and fight bone conditions.
While scientific research on the plant’s effects on humans is still in its early stages, thousands of years of anecdotal evidence and personal reports seem to confirm that it’s an effective herb.
Horny Goat Weed Benefits
Horny goat weed is most well-known for its ability to help improve sexual health, especially for men. Part of the reason for this is because the plant contains phytoestrogens, which mimic the effect of various hormones in the human body.
Horny goat weed can be useful for helping with a number of different health conditions.
Erectile Dysfunction
Horny goat weed is one of the many different herbal compounds referred to as natural viagra, and many believe that this is for good reason.
One of the reasons for this is because of the chemical makeup of horny goat weed. One of its chemical constituents is known as icariin. Icariin has an inhibitory effect on one of the compounds that researchers have associated with ED. In short, it prevents the chemicals that cause ED from being effective.
The compound that icariin fights is known as phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5). You know what else works by preventing PDE5 from taking action? A certain medical substance known as Viagra. That’s right – horny goat weed contains natural compounds that work in the same way as viagra.
Improving Bone Health
As mentioned above, horny goat weed contains compounds known as phytoestrogens. These are plant-based estrogen compounds that work in a similar manner to estrogen.
Phytoestrogens are particularly useful for helping postmenopausal women who are experiencing bone problems. As postmenopausal women experience a decline in their estrogen levels, they also tend to experience a loss of bone mass. Horny goat weed can help prevent this.
For this effect, horny goat weed is extra effective when combined with a calcium supplement.
Furthermore, icariin has been shown to help improve symptoms of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is another painful bone condition that occurs when people begin to lose the cartilage surrounding their joints.
Other Horny Goat Weed Benefits
While research in the area is still limited, there are some other benefits attributed to horny goat weed. Patients and traditional medicine practitioners have reported success using horny goat weed to treat:
- Joint pain
- Lung conditions like bronchitis
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- HIV symptoms
Does Horny Goat Weed Work?
As mentioned above, horny goat weed contains active compounds that work in the same way as viagra.
Whether or not the herb ‘works’ is a matter of personal perspective.
Many people become disillusioned with the power of natural medicine because they compare them to pharmaceutical medicines. Pharmaceutical medicines are designed to be incredibly potent, often at the risk of the patient’s health. While pharmaceuticals may heal one problem, they often cause completely different problems.
Viagra is one good example. While viagra is incredibly potent – researchers believe it might be about 80% more potent than the icariin found in horny goat weed – it also comes with the risk of side effects.
Unfortunately, people tend to use Viagra as the standard by which to compare all other medicines. In reality, it should be the other way around. Horny goat weed may not be as dangerously potent as viagra, but it can help you with your erectile dysfunction in a more holistic manner.
Furthermore, using natural substances like horny goat weed allows you to actually see an improvement while still being able to work out the root cause of the issue. If you were to use viagra – much like other pharmaceuticals – you would never bother to treat the cause of the actual issue. You would probably just keep using the drug forever.
Horny goat weed is not like this. Horny goat weed will help you manage your ED in the meantime while you’re able to work through the problem on your own. Eventually, you’ll be able to maintain a strong erection without the use of any medicines – herbal or otherwise!
Horny Goat Weed Side Effects
Horny goat weed is generally recognized as being safe. Unlike Viagra or other similar drugs that work by inhibiting PDE5, horny goat weed does so in a natural manner that doesn’t put your body into overdrive. That means that it’s much less likely to cause side effects.
Extremely high doses of horny goat weed have been associated with breathing problems, nausea, and vomiting. In some cases, people may also experience a racing heart, changes in mood, increased energy, sweating, or hot flashes.
However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be cautious when you’re using it. There are some things to be aware of.
People Who Shouldn’t Use Horny Goat Weed
There are a number of people who shouldn’t use horny goat weed.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid using horny goat weed.
- Horny goat weed can slow the rate of blood clotting. This means that it shouldn’t be used by anyone who has a bleeding disorder like hemophilia, or by anyone who is taking medication that can affect the rate of blood clotting.
- Anyone with high or low blood pressure or problems with an irregular heartbeat should avoid using horny goat weed.
- People – especially women – with conditions affecting their hormone sensitivity should avoid using horny goat weed. This is particularly true for women with endometriosis, fibroids, or cancer of the genitals.
- Because of horny goat weed’s influence on blood clotting, it should be avoided by anyone who is about to attend the surgery.
Different Kinds of Horny Goat Weed
As mentioned before, there are several different types of horny goat weed.
The strains Epimedium sagittatum and Epimedium grandiflorum are generally the two types that are used in traditional medicine systems. Another variety of horny goat weed, known as Epimedium koreanum, is often included in supplements but may contribute to issues like muscle spasms. Make sure to check the bottle prior to making a purchase.
Medications That Interact With Horny Goat Weed
There are a number of medications that can interact negatively with horny goat weed. These are generally medications that have some sort of impact on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, depression, or pain. Common medications that can interact with horny goat weed include:
- Beta-blockers
- Clonidine
- Diuretics, especially thiazide diuretics
- Alcohol
- Opioids and other painkillers
- SSRIs and other antidepressants
- Anticholinergic drugs like Benadryl
- Drugs that affect your hormones
How to Use Horny Goat Weed
If you think that you’re going to start using horny goat weed, it’s a good idea to start small. When you’re first starting to use any new herb or supplement, the safest thing to do is start at a dose smaller than the recommended dose. This will give you a chance to figure out if you’re hypersensitive or allergic to any of the ingredients in the supplement.
If you’re going to be using horny goat weed to improve your sexual health or treat your ED, it’s recommended that you use about 5 grams 3 times daily. For this purpose, it can be a good idea to try to find a health food store where you can buy bulk horny goat weed.
Doing this, making a horny goat weed decoction by soaking it in hot water is the easiest way to consume the herb. You can do this by simply putting the horny goat weed in a tea strainer and pouring hot water over it.
An easier way to use horny goat weed, however, is to just take a supplement.
Effective Horny Goat Weed Supplements
If you’re hoping to use horny goat weed to increase your sexual health, the easiest way to go about doing that is to take a horny goat weed supplement.
Your best bet is to use a natural herbal supplement formulated specifically to improve symptoms of ED. One popular example is Viasil, a product that contains a number of natural ingredients that work together to improve male sexual health.
Some of the ingredients include:
- Horny goat weed.
- Zinc, one of the most important nutrients required for sexual health and the production of testosterone.
- Ginkgo biloba, a powerful herb that helps increase blood flow to the genitals.
- Tribulus terrestris, a herb that has been used for centuries to boost libido, energy, and sexual performance.
- Panax ginseng, another herb that has been used for millennia because of its libido- and energy-boosting effects.
This powerful combination of ingredients will ensure that you’re able to get strong erections without having to deal with any of the side effects associated with Viagra or other ED meds.
