Epimedium-Libido Enhancer

Horny Goat Weed (60 caps) Pinnacle Horny Goat Weed is an all-natural botanical sexual enhancer. It is a botanical complex that contains ... Price $20.45

Horny Goat Weed (600 mg, 90 Tabs) Planetary Herbals Epimedium is one of the most valued tonics of Chinese herbalism. In China it is especially used for ... Price $12.79

Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) is a genus of twenty-one related plant species. The Chinese refer to Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) as "yin yang huo", which has been loosely translated by some as "licentious goat plant" and explains why Western supplement companies have adopted the titillating name by which it is known in the U.S: Horny Goat Weed. Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) is grown as an ornamental herb in Asia and the Mediterranean region, and various species are used for medicinal purposes, including Epimedium sagittatum, Epimedium brevicornum, Epimedium wushanense, Epimedium koreanum, and Epimedium pubescens.





Claims:
Because of the traditional use of Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) for treating fatigue and boosting sex drive, the majority of the claims for Western dietary supplements center around sex drive:

• Boosts libido (sex drive)

• Increases energy levels

• Enhances recovery from exercise (via cortisol-control)

• Makes you more sexy (not really, but this is what the ads would suggest)

Theory:
The use of Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) as a medicinal herb dates back to at least 400 A.D., where it has been used as a tonic for the reproductive system (boosting libido and treating impotence) and as a rejuvenating tonic (to relieve fatigue). Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) is thought to work via modulation of cortisol levels (the primary stress hormone). Under conditions of high stress, the increased cortisol levels are known to cause fatigue and depress sex drive - so bringing cortisol levels back into normal ranges is also thought to help restore normal metabolism, energy levels and libido.

Scientific Support:
Animal studies have shown that Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) may function a bit like an adaptogen (such as cordyceps, rhodiola, ashwagandha, and ginseng) by increasing levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine when they are low (an energy-promoting effect), but reducing cortisol levels when they are elevated (an anti-stress effect). There is also evidence that Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) can restore low levels of both testosterone and thyroid hormone (bringing low levels back to their normal levels) - which may account for some of the benefits of Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) in improving libido (sex drive). Animal studies using Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) have shown a reduction in bone breakdown, an increase in muscle mass, and a loss of body fat-each of which may be linked to the observed return of abnormal cortisol levels back to normal values (and rhythm). In a series of studies conducted in humans and animals by Chinese researchers, immune-system function was directly suppressed and bone loss was accelerated, by using high-dose synthetic cortisol (glucocorticoid drugs). Subsequent administration of Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) extract reduced blood levels of cortisol and improved immune immune-system function (in the humans) and slowed bone loss and strengthened bones (in the animals).