Ingredient 7 of 7
Horny Goat Weed in Vapofil: The Seventh Ingredient at 8 mg
Vapofil prints 8 mg of horny goat weed (Epimedium sagittatum) per 2 capsules. Typical products hold 250 to 500 mg, and LiverTox says its claimed benefits are "not proven in rigorous controlled trials" (LiverTox: Horny goat weed). The brief and the brand graphic list six ingredients; the label adds this one, so Vapofil has seven.
Written by the Vapofil editorial teamUpdated
The basics
What is horny goat weed?
Horny goat weed is a low-growing plant from China with heart-shaped leaves. Its botanical group is Epimedium, and Vapofil names the species Epimedium sagittatum.
It has a long place in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic for men. The leaves contain more than 200 compounds, according to LiverTox (LiverTox: Horny goat weed).
Per Memorial Sloan Kettering, the strongest human data concern bone health in postmenopausal women rather than sex. For sexual function, use is traditional and "more studies are needed" (MSK: Epimedium).
Label check
Why is horny goat weed missing from the brand's ingredient list?
We do not know why. The brief we received names six ingredients, and so does the brand's ingredient graphic. The Supplement Facts panel on the bottle prints seven, with horny goat weed on the last line.
The label wins. Whatever a sales page or graphic says, the panel shows what the capsules hold.
Horny goat weed carries more cautions than any other herb in Vapofil: heart rhythm reports, blood pressure effects and slower clotting. A shopper who checks only the six-ingredient graphic would miss them. Compare both on the Vapofil Supplement Facts page.
| Label name | Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium sagittatum) (From 10:1 extract, equivalent to approximately 80mg of dry Horny Goat Weed powder) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Epimedium sagittatum · Herb extract (10:1) |
| Position on the label | Printed with its own amount |
| Amount per serving (2 capsules) | 8 mg, printed (sold as a 10:1 extract) |
| Amount used in research | Sold as 250-500 mg a day; no established dose |
| Strength of evidence | Not proven in rigorous trials |
| Why it is used | Traditional Chinese herb with icariin flavonoids |
| Main caution | Heart rhythm reports; may lower blood pressure and slow clotting. |
The printed amount
How much horny goat weed is in Vapofil?
Each 2-capsule serving holds 8 mg of horny goat weed extract, the smallest amount on the label. That is about 4 mg per capsule and 240 mg across a 60-capsule bottle.
Most horny goat weed products come as 250 mg or 500 mg tablets or capsules, normally one a day, according to LiverTox (LiverTox: Horny goat weed).
| Product | Amount a day | Vapofil as a share |
|---|---|---|
| Vapofil, 2 capsules | 8 mg extract | - |
| Smaller common product | 250 mg | about 3% |
| Larger common product | 500 mg | about 1.6% |
| Established dose | Not published | - |
RxList says there is "not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses" (RxList: Horny goat weed).
Reading the label
Does the 80 mg figure mean you get 80 mg of horny goat weed?
No. You get 8 mg of extract. The 10:1 ratio says the maker used about ten times as much dry herb as the extract weighs, so 8 mg of extract stands for roughly 80 mg of dry horny goat weed.
The exact wording is: "From 10:1 extract, equivalent to approximately 80mg of dry Horny Goat Weed powder." That reading is ours.
- A ratio says how much raw plant went in, not how much icariin came out.
- Even the 80 mg figure is well under the 250 mg in a small typical product.
- The ratio is the maker's claim; the label gives no way to check it.
Tongkat ali carries the same kind of wording at 100:1.
The active compounds
What is icariin, and does the Vapofil label list it?
Icariin is the best-known flavonoid in horny goat weed. LiverTox names icariin, icaritin and epimedin as the main active compounds (LiverTox: Horny goat weed).
Vapofil does not state its icariin content. The label prints only the extract weight and the 10:1 ratio, so the icariin amount is unknown.
Memorial Sloan Kettering notes that icariin may blunt aromatase inhibitors, drugs used for some breast cancers (MSK: Epimedium). That matters less for most men, but it shows the compound is active in the body.
The evidence
Is there good evidence that horny goat weed helps with sex?
It has not been shown to. LiverTox says claimed benefits for sexual satisfaction, blood pressure and the heart are "not proven in rigorous controlled trials" (LiverTox: Horny goat weed). RxList finds too little evidence to rate it for any use (RxList: Horny goat weed).
Not proven
Sexual, blood pressure and heart claims lack rigorous controlled trials (LiverTox: Horny goat weed).
Traditional use
Best human data is for bone loss in older women; for sex, more studies are needed (MSK: Epimedium).
Insufficient
Not enough evidence to rate any use or set a dose range (RxList: Horny goat weed).
No study has tested 8 mg, and no trial of Vapofil has been published. For a longer look, read what studies show about horny goat weed.
Safety
Does horny goat weed cause heart rhythm problems?
It can in some people. A fast or uneven heartbeat appears on Memorial Sloan Kettering's side-effect list. High doses can also bring sweating, a hot feeling and mood swings (MSK: Epimedium).
One MSK case involved a 66-year-old man who had heart failure. After two weeks of daily use he was hospitalized with a new heart rhythm problem and hypomania, a state of unusually high mood and energy. MSK advises avoiding the herb with heart disease.
If you have heart disease or a rhythm problem, ask your doctor before taking any product with horny goat weed. Get emergency care for chest pain, fainting or a racing, irregular heartbeat.
Very large amounts have been linked to muscle spasms and serious breathing trouble, RxList warns (RxList: Horny goat weed).
Hormones
Is horny goat weed estrogenic?
Yes, it may act like estrogen. MSK advises avoiding it with hormone-sensitive cancers (MSK: Epimedium), and RxList says it may worsen estrogen-sensitive conditions (RxList: Horny goat weed).
Ask your doctor first if you have a hormone-sensitive condition or take hormone therapy. MSK also notes the herb may induce CYP3A4, a liver enzyme that breaks down many medicines (MSK: Epimedium).
Medicines
Can horny goat weed interact with your medicines?
RxList lists four groups of moderate interactions: blood pressure drugs, blood thinners, estrogens and drugs that prolong the QT interval (RxList: Horny goat weed).
| Medicine group | What could happen |
|---|---|
| Blood pressure drugs | Blood pressure may drop too low |
| Blood thinners and antiplatelets | Higher risk of bruising and bleeding; the herb slows clotting |
| Estrogens | A moderate interaction; the herb may act like estrogen |
| QT-prolonging drugs | May add to heart rhythm risk |
| Surgery | Stop before a scheduled operation, per RxList |
The full list for all seven ingredients is on the Vapofil side effects page.
Keep exploring
Where does horny goat weed sit among Vapofil's ingredients?
It is the last of seven lines, right after tongkat ali. LiverTox rates its liver risk as unlikely, with mild stomach upset and rare rash reported (LiverTox: Horny goat weed).
FAQ
Horny goat weed in Vapofil: common questions
Does Vapofil contain horny goat weed?
Yes. The Supplement Facts panel lists horny goat weed (Epimedium sagittatum) at 8 mg per 2 capsules, on its last line. The brand's ingredient graphic and the brief show only six ingredients, so it is easy to miss. The label lists seven.
How much horny goat weed should you take a day?
No proven dose exists. RxList finds no basis yet for a dose range. LiverTox reports that products usually come as 250 or 500 mg, taken once a day. Vapofil holds 8 mg per serving, far below either size.
What does 10:1 horny goat weed extract mean?
It is a concentration ratio: roughly ten parts of dried herb per part of finished extract. Vapofil's 8 mg of extract came from roughly 80 mg of dry plant. You swallow 8 mg. The ratio is the maker's claim and says nothing about icariin content.
Is horny goat weed bad for your heart?
It can cause a fast or irregular heartbeat in some people, per Memorial Sloan Kettering. MSK reports a man with heart failure hospitalized with a new rhythm problem after two weeks of use. Avoid it with heart disease unless your doctor agrees.
Can I take horny goat weed with blood pressure pills?
Ask your doctor first. RxList lists blood pressure drugs as a moderate interaction because the herb may push blood pressure too low. It also slows clotting, so the same caution applies to blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs.
Does horny goat weed raise estrogen?
It may have estrogen-like effects. Memorial Sloan Kettering advises avoiding it with hormone-sensitive cancers, and RxList says it may worsen estrogen-sensitive conditions. Anyone on hormone therapy should ask a doctor before use.
Is horny goat weed hard on the liver?
Liver injury looks unlikely. LiverTox gives it a likelihood score of E, its lowest-risk category, and reports mostly mild stomach upset and rare rash or allergy. Stop any supplement and call a doctor if you notice yellow skin or dark urine.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the bottle label, the order page and linked public health sources such as NIH, FDA and CDC.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a licensed U.S. retail desk for Vapofil, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about Vapofil
Horny goat weed studies
Icariin, the thin human evidence, a heart rhythm case, interactions, and why 8 mg sits far below usual product sizes.
Read more
Tongkat ali
Tongkat ali is printed at 10 mg: a tenth of the lower trial dose, sold with a 100:1 ratio that sounds larger.
Read more
Side effects
Ingredient side effects, heart and bleeding flags, lithium and digoxin interactions, and the signs that need emergency care.
Read moreLicensed U.S. retail desk for Vapofil
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