{"id":16321,"date":"2015-11-25T07:19:11","date_gmt":"2015-11-25T14:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.accessrx.com\/blog\/?p=16321"},"modified":"2015-11-25T07:19:11","modified_gmt":"2015-11-25T14:19:11","slug":"why-natural-ed-pills-raise-red-flags-m1028","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/erectile-dysfunction\/why-natural-ed-pills-raise-red-flags-m1028\/","title":{"rendered":"Why ‘Natural’ ED Pills Raise Red Flags"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Con
Con artists selling questionable products count on men\u2019s reluctance to bring up ED with a doctor.<\/figcaption><\/figure> As amazing as prescription drugs for treating erectile dysfunction (ED) are, there will always be scam artists trying to convince people there\u2019s an easier way.<\/p>\n

Drugs like Viagra have successfully treated ED in tens of millions of men worldwide, revolutionizing both how ED is treated and how it is perceived by the general public. Once the subject of lowered voices and feelings of failure, ED has been found to be largely a condition involving impaired blood flow, a problem that Viagra and its competitors treat directly.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s be realistic. It\u2019s still not easy for a lot of men to talk to their doctors about ED. It would be so much easier if something were available over the counter, something that wouldn\u2019t require discussion and dissection of intimate life details. That\u2019s where the scam artists come in.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve visited a convenience store in recent years, you have probably noticed single blister-pack \u201cnatural\u201d products that claim to improve sexual performance. They\u2019re right there, they don\u2019t require a prescription, and they cost less than Viagra. What\u2019s not to like, right?<\/p>\n

What\u2019s in These \u201cAll Natural\u201d Products for Treating ED?<\/strong><\/p>\n

First of all, \u201cnatural\u201d means absolutely nothing. For one thing, plenty of harmful things are \u201cnaturally occurring\u201d (like arsenic and lead). And for another, many of the ingredients in these gas station products that have been chemically analyzed are things not found in nature. So far, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has tested hundreds of these products and found that nearly 300 of them<\/a> contain undisclosed drug ingredients. In other words, what a product claims to contain may not even be remotely related to what it actually contains.<\/p>\n

Some of these \u201cnatural\u201d products were found by the FDA to contain the same active ingredients found in FDA-approved drugs for ED (like Viagra). Knowing this won\u2019t stop some men, whose attitude is, \u201cHooray! Viagra without talking to my doctor!\u201d The problem is, the dosages of these ingredients are all over the place, and furthermore, sometimes active ingredients are combined in excessively high doses. You simply can\u2019t know unless the products are chemically analyzed.<\/p>\n

What Are the Risks of Taking Them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t know what\u2019s in a product, and it contains, say, sildenafil or tadalafil (the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis), it could be at a dosage that\u2019s completely wrong for you. It could interact with other drugs you take. Or it could contain multiple active ingredients that aren\u2019t approved for treating anything. One product tested contained 31 times<\/em> the prescription dose of tadalafil, and was combined with an antidepressant called dapoxetine, which is not FDA-approved. The FDA has found that some products contain as many as six ingredients<\/a> used in FDA-approved prescription drugs, and \/ or analogs of these ingredients. Nobody knows how dangerous they are because they haven\u2019t been studied at all.<\/p>\n

The bottom line is, you take a huge risk consuming these products. As uncomfortable as you might be speaking with a doctor about ED and prescriptions that treat it, think how it would feel explaining your symptoms to a seasoned triage nurse when you have to be rushed to the ER.<\/p>\n

Warning Signs That You Should Avoid a Product<\/strong><\/p>\n

This applies to all \u201csupplements\u201d or \u201cnatural\u201d products, not just those that claim to treat ED. The FDA says that you should avoid supplements that:<\/p>\n