Horny Goat Weed – sources, health benefits, nutrients, uses and constituents at NaturalPedia.com

Horny goat weed, which has the scientific name Epimedium sagittatum, belongs to the Berberidaceae family. It comes by other names such as yin yang huo, barrenwort, rowdy lamb herb, fairy wings, bishop’s hat, herba epimedii, Japanese epimedium, and xian ling pi. Its origins are rooted in China but it is also cultivated in other parts of Asia as well as the Mediterranean.

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners have been using horny goat weed for its various medicinal purposes for 2,000 years now.

According to folklore, horny goat weed was named as such because a farmer noticed that his goats became more sexually active after ingesting the plant.

List of known nutrients

• Alkaloids
• Epimedins
• Epimedosides
• Essential Oil
• Fats
• Flavonoids
• Icariin
• Lignans
• Magnoflorine
• Quercetin
• Saponins
• Sterols

Medicinal uses for horny goat weed

Horny goat weed serves as a natural stress reliever. Its icariin content suppresses the production of stress hormones.

Horny goat weed regulates blood pressure levels.

Body systems supported by horny goat weed

Horny goat weed is good for the respiratory system. It can alleviate hay fever or allergic rhinitis, which is characterized by a reduction in white blood cells that gets exacerbated due to the prevalence of allergies. Its symptoms include runny nose, congestion, sinus pressure, and sneezing.

Horny goat weed is good for the cardiovascular system. It can prevent the onset of atherosclerosis.

Horny goat weed is good for the skeletal system. It deters the body from succumbing to osteoporosis. According to a study by the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology at the University of Tokyo and another study by the Institute of Orthopaedics Centre of Lanzhou General Hospital in China, horny goat weed revitalizes bone density.

Also, a study that observed 85 women and was published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research in 2007 showed that a phytoestrogen that can be found in horny goat weed can prevent bone loss in women who who are two years post-menopausal, thus lessening the risk of osteoporosis and other bone ailments.

Horny goat weed is good for the male reproductive system. It can treat erectile dysfunction, which occurs in men who are between the ages of 40 and 70. It does so due to its icariin content, which stimulates the successful transmission of nitric oxide for the proper delivery of blood to the penis tissue. Its icariin content has the same effect as Viagra.

Psychological conditions that can be attributed to erectile dysfunction include anxiety or depression.

Erectile dysfunction can be of two types: one is primary erectile dysfunction, a condition in which the patient had never been able to sustain an erection; and the other, which is more of secondary in nature, is caused by a prior illness such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, physical injuries, or stroke.

Medications can also affect a man’s ability to sustain an erection. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricylic antidepressants, amphetamines, anticholinergics, anxiolytics, beta-blockers, cimetidine, clonidine, 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, hormonal therapies, monoamine oxybase inhibitors (MAOIs), opioids, spironolactone, and thiazide diuretics.

Horny goat weed also boosts the production of testosterone, resulting in more rapid muscle growth and fat loss.

Horny goat weed is good for the female reproductive system. It improves sexual desire in women and increases estrogen production. It also addresses hormonal fluctuations during the menstruation cycle and during menopause.

Ways to use horny goat weed

Horny goat weed can be taken via capsule or tablet form. However, you should take care not to overdose on it for it can cause difficulty in breathing, nausea, and vomiting. People should not ingest horny goat weed if they have a hormone-sensitive cancer, as the herb is known to increase the production of estrogen, have a heart disease; are allergic to Epimedium; and are on aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole, exemestane, and letrozole.

Also, among horny goat weed’s side effects are mood changes such as irritability and aggression, decreased thyroid function, feelings of being stifled, increased energy, racing heart, and sweating.

Where to learn more

• Naturally Sexy Aphrodisiacs
• Seven Symptoms of Perimenopause – What Solutions You Need to Know
• The Top 9 Herbs for Intimacy
• Effective Ways to Treat PMS without Drugs
• Herbal viagra supplements give same boost, but without the pharmaceuticals (or the cost)

Summary

Horny goat weed also boosts the production of testosterone, resulting in more rapid muscle growth and fat loss.

Horny goat weed is good for the female reproductive system.

Horny goat weed is good for the skeletal system.

Sources include:

NaturallyHard.net

MedicalNewsToday.com

Indigo-Herbs.co.uk