Horny Goat Weed - An Herbal Plant That Makes You Lustful?

Horny Goat Weed has a two thousand year history of use as a sex-enhancer. Behind the funny name stands a time-tested aphrodisiac that increases libido in men and women. It is even used to improve erectile function. Also known as Epimedium or Yin Yang Huo, Horny Goat Weed was first described in ancient classical Chinese medicinal texts. Today, it holds an important place in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is gaining popularity around the world as it becomes incorporated in Western medicine.

What the Experts Say

We asked two doctors working on the same study, one a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the other a North American Medical Doctor, for their views -

"Our tradition of practice is 5,000 years old. We know from very good experience that TCM is highly effective. We successfully treat many difficult diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and Parkinson's. In TCM, we look at the whole person, while Western physicians look at the disease. And we rely on herbs and foods to treat most health problems." – Dr. Gregory Lin

Through the research effort, HGW has been the cause of much hoopla as the participating subjects all reported favorable results. Men tested confirmed an improved sex drive, more energy, and an optimal erectile condition. However, skepticism remains:

“The tests we have done so far are only preliminary ones. We should remain undecided about the value of this herb until further research is completed. In my personal opinion, I think that horny goat weed will have a huge impact on the medical community but there will always be critics and in order to prove that horny goat weed is a medical asset, we have to conduct further tests and try to figure out how it exactly works.” – Dr. Samuel Jaffe

The leaves of Horny Goat Weed are as complex as nature itself, containing a variety of flavonoids, polysaccharides, lignans, sesquiterpenes, phenolic and penethylol glycosides, ionones, sterols, and an alkaloid called magnaflorine. Used by practitioners for over 2,000 years, varieties of HGW make up several species of Epimedium, a leafy plant that grows in the wild, most abundantly at higher altitudes. And though the science of exactly how HGW functions is yet to be determined, the plant has long been employed to effectively restore sexual fire, boost erectile function, allay fatigue and alleviate menopausal discomfort.

HGW can be found almost anywhere. But the Bozhou Herb Market, located at the far northwestern corner of the Anhui Province on the coast of the Jiangsu in China's Central Plains region, is the world’s largest of its kind. The agriculturally diverse region is home to the large-scale cultivation of numerous crops, including an astounding 600,000 acres of medicinal herbs.

The City of Bozhou has a history of more than 400 years in the commercial cultivation and trading of medicinal herbs, and is home to the annual Chinese national medicinal herbs fair. Of the four major herb markets in China, Bozhou is the largest. Occupying 85 acres, the market is home to more than 6,000 traders who sell their healthful wares five days a week. Annually, the market produces sales of about $600 million.

No amount of prior explanation could adequately prepare you for the grand scale of the market, which is jammed with thousands of people and thousands of herbal displays. Large jute and hemp sacks of loose herbs stand packed against each other from one end to the other. 

Many supplements, not just HGW, found at the market promise outrageous results, but often you will find that the manufacturers fail to include the proper blend of the herb they are selling. Therefore, you aren’t paying for what you wanted. Herbs work best on specific maladies when strategically combined with the complementary effects of other herbs.

For this and other reasons, herbal supplements generally receive a bad rap. Horny Goat Weed is available almost anywhere, but the buyer should beware. You’ll find some bottles of HGW that have more chemicals than herbs. But you’ll also find HGW products that contain ten percent Icariin. This is the type you want if you wish to improve sexuality. Only two to four capsules per day should be sufficient to boost flagging libido and juice up your sex life.
 
Hopefully, you now have an understanding of why horny goat weed has been used safely and effectively for more than 2,000 years. Simply put, it works!