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Viagra may be a miracle worker, but not everyone can take it. If you are allergic to sildenafil or are taking nitrates, taking the Viagra can be dangerous to your health. That’s why you need to know how much Icariin Equals Viagra.
What Is Icariin?
Icariin is a major component of horny goat weed [1]. Horny goat weed is a plant native to China. In fact, it has been part of Chinese traditional medicine. It is mainly used for treating fatigue, pain, low libido, osteoporosis, rheumatism, and erectile dysfunction [2].
A study tested various herbs known to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). Out of all the herbs, horny goat weed was declared as the most effective [3].
How Does Icariin Work against ED?
Icariin, much like Viagra, is an inhibitor. An inhibitor is a substance that slows down the activity of an enzyme. In this case, both Viagra and Icariin are inhibitors of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5).
PDE5 is an enzyme that breaks down cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). cGMP causes the blood vessels’ smooth muscles to relax [4]. This leads to better blood flow, which then results in an erection.
Hence, by inhibiting PDE5, Icariin can help you get an erection. In this sense, Icariin is similar to Viagra.
Is Icariin an Alternative to Viagra?
Yes, Icariin can be an alternative to Viagra. As stated earlier, Icariin works like Viagra. The only difference is that Icariin can be a more natural approach to erectile dysfunction.
But if you want to take tablets for ED, there are Icariin supplements available in the market. Just make sure that you buy from reliable companies to avoid any complications.
- Read more: BlueChew Review
Is Icariin Safe to Take?
In general, Icariin, when taken through horny goat weed, is safe. However, horny goat weed must be consumed in moderate amounts. It’s because too much horny goat weed can have dangerous effects.
Icariin may work like Viagra, but similarly, it has side effects. Side effects of Icariin include dizziness, dry mouth, thirst, breathing difficulties, and spasms.
Besides, Icariin might interact with some medication, including:
- treatments for high blood pressure
- treatments that thin your blood
- treatments for heart disease
- treatments for hormone-sensitive cancers
- treatments for thyroid disease
How Much Icariin Equals Viagra?
The answer to ‘How much Icariin equals Viagra?’ lies on the substances’ IC50. IC50 is the measurement of how effective a substance is in inhibiting an enzyme.
Icariin has an IC50 of 1,000 nM (nanomolar) against PDE5 [5], while Viagra has an IC50 of 3.5 nM [6]. Thus, it takes 1,000 nM of Icariin for it to work like Viagra.
We did the math for you. Apparently, in terms of effectivity, 676.7 micrograms of Icariin is equal to 1.6674 micrograms of Viagra.
However, Icariin is not extensively studied, so there is not an accurate computation of how much Icariin is equivalent to Viagra. The calculation is based on two studies only.
So if you want to know how much Icariin equals Viagra, we suggest that you talk to a healthcare professional.
