Horny goat weed? It's an improbable name, one that invites attention and giggles. But behind the light-hearted nickname stands a serious herb. The Chinese consider horny goat weed the premier libido-lifter for men and women, and top aid to erectile function in men. While the exact way that horny goat weed works remains unknown, the plant has long been employed to restore sexual fire, boost erectile function, allay fatigue and even alleviate menopausal discomfort.

Shanghai Medical Summit: What the Experts Said On our first evening in hot, muggy Shanghai, Shahannah and I gathered for dinner with six experts in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Our dinner companions were three practicing medical doctors—including Dr. Hu Jinhua, the leading brain specialist and chief of Longhua Hospital—plus a gastroenterologist, a pharmacognocist (pharmacist expert in herbs), and a plant chemist. During our conversation about the role of herbs in Chinese medicine, I popped the question foremost in my mind. "What do you think about epimedium? Is it truly effective as a sex-enhancer?" There were smiles all around, and the affirmative nodding of heads. "Oh, yes, yes." exclaimed Dr. Kuang. "We have all used epimedium in our practices. It is the very best sexual tonic for both men and women."

Product Recommendations 2 Capsules:  Zinc 15 mg, Copper 0.2 mg, Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium grandiflorum) [root] 500 mg, L-Arginine HCl 400 mg, Yohimbe (Pausinystalia yohimba) [bark] 175 mg, Tribulus (Tribulus terrestris) [fruit extract] 50 mg, Mucuna Pruriens [bean extract] (supplying 5 mg [10%] L-Dopa) 50 mg

After Bozhou, we loaded back into the van. Our expanded group included a medicinal plant expert named Sheng, who would lead us to a major wild source of horny goat weed.  As we journeyed to remote Tianmu Mountain, in the northern corner of Zhejiang Province, Sheng explained the collection of horny goat weed. "It is picked wild, so people ask about epimedium being over-harvested. There is nothing to worry about in that regard. There is plenty, and as long as the roots remain in the ground, it comes up every year. We pick only the leaves, never the roots, so epimedium is always there. And since nobody applies any chemicals to the wild plants, it is clean and pure."

After a long, jarring drive on badly rutted roads, we arrived at Tianmushan. With Sheng in the lead, we hiked off into dense forest, and up a rugged trail. We were drenched in sweat as we made our way up the mountain. "Most of the epimedium on the mountain has already been picked this year," Sheng informed us. "But further up near the peak we will find plenty."  Further up we came to a rocky outcropping, and from there to the peak we found numerous clusters of epimedium. We stopped repeatedly on the steep slope to admire spectacular views of the mountainous countryside—hot, soaked with sweat, but elated to finally see horny goat weed in its natural, high-altitude home.

One of the major challenges of botanical medicine is to turn fresh herbs into effective commercial products. Back in Shanghai at the Dingxun Botanical Products manufacturing facility, Jerry Wu explained some of their process to us. "In Traditional Chinese Medicine, herbs are boiled in a teapot, and you drink the concentrated tea when it is done."  As Jerry went on the explain, "We make full-spectrum herbal extracts using only high-pressure water extraction. In this way, we prepare them in a manner similar to the traditional method. But we also use the latest analytical instruments to ensure that the finished extract is pure and preserves the natural chemical profile of the whole herb."

 

My wife Shahannah and I have now conducted field investigations into the three primary herbs in Horny Goat Weed formula. In China, we researched horny goat weed. In Peru, we checked into maca (Lepidium meyenni). And in southern India, we investigated mucuna (Mucuna pruriens). Here's what we know:

The herbs in Horny Goat Weed formula are each time-honored sex enhancers in their respective cultures, proven effective by vast human experience. They are also standardized herbal extracts, which deliver the same levels of characteristic compounds every time. This highly promising formula is currently undergoing clinical study to evaluate its specific effects.

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