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What Is Icariin? Horny Goat Weed's Active Compound
Icariin is a compound associated with horny goat weed, also called Epimedium. Memorial Sloan Kettering says it may have estrogenic effects (MSK, Epimedium (horny goat weed)). Support for sexual use comes from rat and lab studies, not clinical trials (Drugs.com, Horny goat weed). The Stallion Power label lists the extract ninth and prints no icariin amount.
Written by the Stallion Power label deskUpdated · 4 min read
What is icariin?
Icariin is a compound tied to horny goat weed, a traditional Chinese herb also called Epimedium that is sold for libido (MSK, Epimedium (horny goat weed)).
Supplement sellers often name icariin because it sounds precise. A named compound can be a good sign when a label also prints how much is present. Without an amount, the name tells you little.
One fact comes from Memorial Sloan Kettering: icariin may have estrogenic effects, so people with hormone-sensitive cancers should be cautious (MSK, Epimedium (horny goat weed)). We did not find a source we could open that explains the compound's chemistry in plain terms, so we do not describe how it works.
Lab findings versus human data
The gap between a dish or a rat and a man is large. Drugs.com says clinical trial data are lacking for the traditional aphrodisiac use, there are no clinical studies to support a dose, and for erectile dysfunction the supporting evidence comes from rat and in vitro studies (Drugs.com, Horny goat weed).
| Question | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Human trials for sexual use | Clinical trial data are lacking (Drugs.com, Horny goat weed) |
| Trials that tested it alone | Many trials combine it with other herbs, so its own part is unclear (MSK, Epimedium (horny goat weed)) |
| A set dose | None. No clinical studies support dosing (Drugs.com, Horny goat weed) and no safe dose is stated (MSK, Epimedium (horny goat weed)) |
| Safety data | Toxicity and safety evaluations are lacking (MSK, Epimedium (horny goat weed)) |
So the honest answer to "does icariin work" is that nobody has shown it in men at a known dose.
Why the label amount matters
The Stallion Power label lists "Horny Goat Weed Extract" in ninth place of its nine-line blend. It does not print an icariin amount, a percentage or a standardization.
Blend ingredients are listed in descending order by weight (21 CFR 101.36, Supplement Facts). Ninth place means the lightest. The plain ceiling is 9.1 mg, and since caffeine is printed at 5 mg in fifth place, the tighter ceiling is 5 mg. Icariin would be only a share of that extract, and the label does not say what share.
This is arithmetic on a printed label, not a lab result. A real gummy can hold less. We cannot say how much icariin, if any, a gummy holds.
See the full line-by-line view on the horny goat weed page and the ingredients overview.
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See packsCautions to know
Reported problems come mostly from case reports. They include sweating at high doses, a rapid irregular heartbeat, mood changes, and one report of a man with heart failure who developed chest pain and a new arrhythmia after two weeks of daily use (MSK, Epimedium (horny goat weed)) (Drugs.com, Horny goat weed). The page from Memorial Sloan Kettering says not to take it with heart disease (MSK, Epimedium (horny goat weed)).
- Heart disease or palpitations: ask your doctor before any horny goat weed product.
- Hormone-sensitive cancer: caution, per Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK, Epimedium (horny goat weed)).
- Pregnant or nursing: avoid, per Drugs.com (Drugs.com, Horny goat weed).
Keep taking prescribed medicine, and stop and call your doctor after any reaction.
A sensible next step
When you compare supplements, look for two things: a stated amount for each active and a human trial that used it. If either is missing, treat claims as unproven. Our guide to the side effects covers what to watch for on this blend.
Who wrote this01
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Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, FTC, NIDDK, AHA and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Gostallionpower, a Stallion Power U.S. merchant desk, not by the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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