orny goat weed has a 2000-year history of use as a sex enhancer. Scientific texts on Chinese herbs and top medical doctors in Shanghai report that horny goat weed boosts libido, improves erectile function, and helps to mitigate menopausal discomfort. The leaves contain a variety of flavonoids, polysaccharides, lignans, sesquiterpenes, phenolic and penethylol glycosides, ionones, and sterols, as well as an alkaloid called magnaflorine. Horny goat weed is a botanical that has also been used traditionally in Japan. This herb is also used for disorders of the kidneys, joints, liver, back, and knees. Horny goat weed’s most common use is as an aphrodisiac. Through research, horny goat weed has been found to have testosterone-like effects. It stimulates sexual activity for both men and women, increases male sperm production, stimulates the sensory nerve endings, and increases overall sexual desire. Horny goat weed’s aphrodisiac effects have been verified in both animal and human research. Mice treated with a horny goat weed preparation produced “apparent effects on the improvement of sexuality.” It was also shown to improve their sperm-producing capability. Since horny goat weed has been traditionally used for kidney disease, it is intriguing how it demonstrated an increase in the sexual drive and quality of life for patients with chronic renal failure.
