August 9, 2006 | Health Matters

FDA warns of online sex drugs

Some men will do anything to get a good boner. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urging them not to buy their male enhancement drugs online. That's because such drugs, often marketed as "dietary supplements," may contain harmful undeclared ingredients -- and no erection is worth dying over!

In a warning issued last month, the FDA said supplements such as Zimaxx, Libidus, Neophase, Nasutra, Vigor-25, Actra-Rx and 4EVERON that are purchased online are not only illegal, but also contain Viagra-like ingredients that can interact negatively with nitrates, which are commonly used in medications treating diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.

"These products threaten the public health because they contain undeclared chemicals that are similar or identical to the active ingredients used in several FDA-approved prescription drug products," Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a July 12 press release. "This risk is even more serious because consumers may not know that these ingredients can interact with medications and dangerously lower their blood pressure."

While the supplements in question have not been approved by the FDA, they contain ingredients that have been; Zimaxx contains sildenafil, for instance, the active ingredient in Viagra, while others contain chemicals similar to vardenafil, the active ingredient in Levitra. The source of these ingredients is unknown, however, and their safety, purity and effectiveness is therefore questionable.

Today's lesson:  if you're experiencing erectile dysfunction take your limp noodle to the doctor, not to Google.

• FDA warns consumers about dangerous ingrediants in dietary supplements [FDA News Release]
• FDA warns about sex enhancement drugs bought online [AVN Online]
• Sex aid drugs bought online can be deadly [MSNBC]