How Icariin works (you’ll be surprised!)

"Icariin is famous because of how effective it is. You may have already known how Icariin was used in traditional Chinese medicine. The most common plant source for Icariin is the Horny Goat Weed plant (also known as Yin Yang Huo). Chinese medicine has used Horny Goat Weed for nearly a thousand years. They’ve known for a long time just how effective it is at increasing libido and promoting sexual health.[1] Also, if you're wondering how icariin is pronounced, it’s: “Icar-i-in”.  

How long does Icariin last?

This is a good question and one that is still causing a bit of controversy among scientist. The half-life of an active chemical is the amount of time take until there is only half of the chemical remaining in your blood. This is where scientists are a little confused about Icariin. Some studies have shown a fairly short half-life, of around 30-40 minutes[2]. Others produce a much longer half-life of around 10 hours.[3] [caption id=""attachment_770"" align=""aligncenter"" width=""300""] Icariin boosts your libido[/caption] Also, these are all animal tests. Scientists still need to research how Icariin works in human blood. If you read through some user reports online, you’ll find that the vitality and aphrodisiac effects tend to last for a few hours after dosing, while the hormone effects seem to last much longer.[4]  

How to use Icariin

Icariin is a great supplement for improving sexuality, boosting libido, increasing testosterone and improving overall health. It can be used as a potent pre-workout, or as a natural hormone enhancer. You can also use Icariin to improve your sexual vitality, especially for men. The best way to take Icariin is under your tongue. This allows the Icariin to enter your bloodstream faster. You can also take Icariin with a glass of juice or water.   The best way to use Icariin is with a dosage of around 10 mg/kg daily, or when required.[5] As a dietary supplement, Icariin is very safe. However, if you are using any prescription medications it’s always best to check with your doctor first because there might be some interactions. Also, using high doses of Icariin for sustained periods of time could cause unwanted side effects. Side effects of Icariin are generally mild, but using excess Icariin can have unwanted side effects. WebMD has suggested that side effects could include dizziness, irregular heart-beat, dry mouth, and thirst. We suggest sticking to the recommended dose.[6]  

How Icariin works

Firstly, one of the best aspects of Icariin is its ability to improve male vitality.[7] Many of the common over-the-counter PDE5 inhibitors help to improve male vitality and to act as aphrodisiacs.[8] [caption id=""attachment_771"" align=""alignright"" width=""300""] Liftmode's Icariin 98% pure[/caption] Secondly, Icariin is great at promoting healthy hormone levels. [9]   Thirdly, Icariin has a whole host of other health effects. You can found out more about these effects by reading through our product description, available from our website.  

Conclusion

In conclusion, Icariin is a powerful aphrodisiac and vitality-enhancing substance. It is often extracted from the Horny Goat Weed plant, but can also be taken as icariin 98. Icariin also enhances your hormone levels. Icariin is safe at the recommended dosage but can cause unwanted side effects at higher doses. Also, be sure to check out our new LibidoLift capsules!      

References:

  [1] Horny Goat Weed, Examine.com, available from https://examine.com/supplements/horny-goat-weed/ [2] Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution profile of icariin propylene glycol-liposome intraperitoneal injection in mice, Yang W et al., J Pharm Pharmacol. 2012 Feb;64(2):190-8. doi: 10.1111 [3] Analysis of biliary excretion of icariin in rats, Wu YT et al., J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Sep 22;58(18):9905-11. doi: 10.1021 [4] My Experience with 98% Icariin, User experience report on Bodybuilding.com forum, retrieved on August 8, 2016 [5] Erectogenic and neurotrophic effects of icariin, a purified extract of horny goat weed (Epimedium spp.) in vitro and in vivo, Shindel AW et al., J Sex Med. 2010 Apr;7(4 Pt 1):1518-28. doi: 10.1111 [6] Horny Goat Weed: Side Effects, WebMD.com, available from http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-699-horny%20goat%20weed.aspx?activeingredientid=699& [7] Effect of icariin on cyclic GMP levels and on the mRNA expression of cGMP-binding cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE5) in penile cavernosum, Jiang Z et al., J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci. 2006;26(4):460-2. [8] Mechanisms of action of PDE5 inhibition in erectile dysfunction, J D Corbin, International Journal of Impotence Research (2004) 16, S4–S7. doi:10.1038 [9] Estrogenic effects of two derivatives of icariin on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, Ye HW and Lou YJ, Phytomedicine. 2005 Nov;12(10):735-41."