Horny goat weed is a leafy plant and is also popular as barrenwort, epimedium, yin yang huo and xian ling pi. A herbal medicine is prepared out of the extract from the leaves. This medicine helps men with erectile dysfunction, and the medicine is also used for other ailments. A lot of medical warnings are issued with over the counter supplements of this particular herb. The horny goat weed dangers range from mild headache, vision problem and nausea to grave effects on the heart and breast cancer.
Mild effects: The Chinese utilized epimedium to make medicines and they used it very effectively. It was mainly utilized to treat erectile dysfunction but was also utilized in other ailments like osteoporosis, liver disease, heart disease, joint pains, bronchitis, high blood pressure, memory loss, tiredness and HIV/AIDS. The doctors state that there is very small evidence to support the above claims and that one product does not work for everybody. Many people can be allergic to horny goat weed and the mild horny goat weed dangers include rash, nausea, headache, hives, insomnia, vision problem and itching of the mouth. One must consult a doctor if they find these symptoms.
Serious effects: Serious horny goat weed dangers include dizziness, bleeding from nose and vomiting. As stated by doctors and nutritionists, a study has revealed that epimedium koreanum was discovered to also inhibit an important cholinesterase enzyme. Inhibition of this enzyme can supposedly mean the danger of the loss of muscle harmonization and can result in jerky motions as a result of acetylcholine increase in the muscles. A study carried on animals revealed that a high dose of icariin, a component of this herb can have a damaging effect on liver and kidneys and there can be serious internal bleeding. This internal bleeding can result into a hemorrhage stroke and a significant decrease in the blood pressure.
Risk for women: There are benefits for women in using horny goat weed and it includes decrease in the bone loss after menopause, as the Epimedium brevicornum is high in estrogenic activity which is needed for menopause. But the doctors also give a conflicting reply that there are Phytoestrogens that cause breast cancer and horny goat weed is loaded with phytoestrogens. Taking unrestricted amount of this herbal supplement can thus result in breast cancer in women.
Doctors and scientists are examining epimedium for possible advantages of the herb. The herb might be used in future to treat a lot of medical diseases. But for the time being, though, with no FDA rules and standards for the dosage and ingredients, the epimedium or horny goat weed supplements will be more harmful than do good. There are a lot of big companies like GNC who prepare epimedium weed supplements and they also set there own rules without getting an FDA approval. But even then it is always recommended to consult a doctor before taking a horny goat weed or epimedium supplement.