traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of acti ...

, a deer penis (;

Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia ** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam. * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overse ...

: ''Lộc pín'') is said to have important therapeutic properties.

Purported properties

In Angang,

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

, women are reported to consume deer penis during pregnancy as it is said to have a fattening effect and to make the mother and child stronger. The Mayans were also known to extract the penis of the deer and roast it.

Hippocrates Hippocrates of Kos (; grc-gre, Ἱπποκράτης ὁ Κῷος, Hippokrátēs ho Kôios; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician of the classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history o ...

recommended consuming deer penis to resolve sexual difficulties. During the 2008 Summer Olympics in China, the country banned deer penis wine, turtle blood and

angelica root ''Angelica archangelica'', commonly known as garden angelica, wild celery, and Norwegian angelica, is a biennial plant from the family Apiaceae, a subspecies of which is cultivated for its sweetly scented edible stems and roots. Like several oth ...

supplements from athletes' diets. This is because according to traditional Chinese medicine, deer penis, especially if ingested while soaked in alcohol (deer penis wine), is an effective remedy for athletic injuries. Chinese Olympic officials advised national athletes not to take the traditional remedy because it may contain the banned herb

Ephedra Ephedra may refer to: * Ephedra (medicine), a medicinal preparation from the plant ''Ephedra sinica'' * ''Ephedra'' (plant), genus of gymnosperm shrubs See also * Ephedrine Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is of ...

. It joined steroids and various stimulants on the list of banned substances. When consumed, a deer penis or

tiger penis In traditional Chinese medicine, a tiger penis ( Vietnamese: ''Pín hổ''; ) is said to have important therapeutic properties. However, there is no scientific proof that tiger penis can be used to treat any medical disorder. The demand for tiger ...

is also said to enhance strength, and is thought by some to be an

aphrodisiac An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior. Substances range from a variety of plants, spices, foods, and synthetic chemicals. Natural aphrodisiacs like cannabis or cocai ...

Availability

Like turtle's blood and penis, deer penis is one of the "delicacies" served in large jars in Snake Alley,

Taipei Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the ...

. It is also served on the Chinese mainland in restaurants such as the Guo Li Zhuang.Richard Spencer, On the menu today: horse penis and testicles with a chilli dip, ''The Telegraph''
/ref> Deer penis wine can be sold at $12 a glass and often as high as $455 for a two-litre bottle. Deer-antler wine, known as ''Lurongjiu'', is also said to enhance

sexual potency Libido (; colloquial: sex drive) is a person's overall sexual drive or desire for Human sexual activity, sexual activity. Libido is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Biologically, the sex hormones and associated neurotr ...

in men and to have a warming effect, aiding the joints. A deer's penis, turtle's penis, or

bull's penis A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions, includ ...

is consumed in restaurants and is known in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

to be offered as a soup delicacy.

Popular culture

Powdered deer penis is mentioned in the 1996 Steven Seagal film The Glimmer Man during the scene where Seagal and Keenen Ivory Wayans enter a Chinese herbal store. Weebam-Na, a miscellaneous character in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, mentions powdered deer penis when asked about Leyawiin, the city he resides in. Deer penis is mentioned in the 2009 episode of The Office "Double Date" when Dwight corrects Michael's statement calling fish sticks an aphrodisiac: "you're thinking of deer penis," Dwight replies. Shanghai health store

In season 1 episode 5 of ''

The League ''The League'' is an American sitcom that aired on FX and later FXX from October 29, 2009, to December 9, 2015, for a total of seven seasons. The series, set in Chicago, Illinois, is a semi-improvised comedy show about a fantasy football leagu ...

'', Ruxin and Taco go to Chinatown to buy "3 Penis Wine", involving the infusion of deer penises,

dog penis Canine reproduction is the process of sexual reproduction in domestic dogs, wolves, coyotes and other canine species. Canine sexual anatomy and development Male reproductive system Erectile tissue As with all mammals, a dog's penis is made up o ...

es, and

snake penis A hemipenis (plural hemipenes) is one of a pair of intromittent organs of male squamates (snakes, lizards and worm lizards). Hemipenes are usually held inverted within the body, and are everted for reproduction via erectile tissue, much like ...

es. However, the real "Three-Penis Wine" contains a fusion of seal, dog and deer penis.

References

Bibliography

* Pérez, William, Noelia Vazquez, and Rodolfo Ungerfeld.
Gross anatomy of the male genital organs of the pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus, Linnaeus 1758).
Anatomical science international 88.3 (2013): 123–129. * Stewart, David W
"Letters to the Editor: Male Genitalia of Red Deer (Cer Vus Elaphus)."
New Zealand veterinary journal 31.7 (1983): 122-122. * * Mesang-Nalley, Marlene, Henderiana Belli, and Ristika Handarini.
Anatomy and Morphometry of Timor Deer (Cervus timorensis) Stags Reproductive Organs
" * Yueqiu, Guo, et al.

" CHINESE PHARMACEUTICAL AFFAIRS 2 (2000): 017. * Vidyadaran, M. K., et al.
Male genital organs and accessory glands of the lesser mouse deer, Tragulus javanicus
" Journal of mammalogy (1999): 199–204. * * Marburger, R. G., R. M. Robinson, and J. W. Thomas.
Genital hypoplasia of white-tailed deer
" Journal of Mammalogy 48.4 (1967): 674–676. * * * * * * * * * * {{commons category, Deer penis Mammal penis Deer Traditional Chinese medicine Chinese alcoholic drinks Chinese cuisine