By Brian Jules Campued
Avoid buying sexual enhancement items not authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), toxics watchdog EcoWaste Coalition warned the public as celebration of Valentine’s Day begins.
With the prospect of boosting sexual drive and performance, these products are marketed as capsules, creams, food supplements, gels, oils, or pills and are easily accessible via online sellers, sidewalk vendors, or from stores selling herbal supplements and Chinese medicines, according to EcoWaste.
Some products, for instance, “are openly sold on the sidewalks of Rizal Avenue (between Carriedo Street and Recto Avenue) and Raon pedestrian overpass in Quezon Boulevard in Manila,” the group said in a statement on Tuesday.
It pointed out that these products have not passed quality and safety verifications of the FDA and may contain undeclared ingredients with serious health risks.
According to an article published by the United States FDA last updated on Jan. 30 — “Tainted Sexual Enhancement and Energy Products” — some of these products contain “hidden ingredients” including active components used in prescription drugs.
“These products may cause potentially serious side effects and may interact with medications or dietary supplements a consumer is taking,” the US FDA said.
EcoWaste added that based on tests conducted by Health Canada, some sexual enhancement and energy products “were found to contain undeclared drugs, including acetaminophen, levodopa, prasterone, sildenafil, tadalafil, yohimbe, and other similar substances”.
So far, the FDA last issued a public health advisory against unregistered food supplements for men in June 2023.
The FDA Advisory No. 2023-1298 stated one product was found to be positive for tadalafil — a prescription drug for treating erectile dysfunction and is prohibited in food supplements as it poses potential health risks to users, particularly those with heart, kidney, stomach, bleeding, and blood cell problems, and those with low or high blood pressure.
Meanwhile, EcoWaste reiterated the advice of health authorities to stop taking illegal sexual health products and consult a healthcare professional if they have health concerns after using such products. – avds
