traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medicine, alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. A large share of its claims are pseudoscientific, with the majority of treatments having no robust evidence ...

, a deer penis (; Vietnamese: ''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. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

, 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 (; ; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician and philosopher of the Classical Greece, classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is traditionally referr ...

recommended consuming deer penis to resolve sexual difficulties. During the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...

in China, the country banned deer penis wine, turtle blood and angelica root 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. 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 language, Vietnamese: ''Pín hổ''; ) is said to have important therapeutic properties. However, there is no scientific proof that tiger penis (or any other animal phallus) can be used t ...

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

aphrodisiac An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases libido, sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior. These substances range from a variety of plants, spices, and foods to synthetic chemicals. Natural aphrodisiacs, such as ...

Availability

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

Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...

. 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 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 Castration, castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e. cows proper), bulls have long been an important symbol cattle in r ...

is consumed in restaurants and is known in

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

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 television 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, is a semi-improvised comedy show about a fantasy football l ...

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

Purported properties

Availability

Popular culture

See also

References

Bibliography