A chocolate-flavored herbal supplement marketed for improving sexual performance was withdrawn from US markets after it was discovered to contain pharmaceutical substances used to treat erectile dysfunction, raising health concerns.
Nalback, a Michigan-based company, issued a warning about its DTF Sexual Chocolate product, which was being sold in adult stores and online and marketed as a sexual performance enhancer.
Tests revealed that the product contains sildenafil and tadalafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis, which are only available by prescription in the United States.
Experts warn that consuming this chocolate may be dangerous, especially when used with other medications such as nitroglycerin for chest pain, as this may lead to a sharp drop in blood pressure, which may cause serious complications, including organ failure or death.
This risk stems from the fact that these drugs work to widen blood vessels and lower blood pressure, so combining them increases the effect to a potentially dangerous degree.
The product was sold in eye-catching gold and purple packaging, with instructions advising that it be taken about 30 minutes before intimacy and divided between the partners.
The company explained that it did not manufacture the chocolate itself, but obtained it from an external supplier and distributed it, stressing that no illnesses related to it have been recorded so far.
Nalbak urged consumers to immediately stop using the product, dispose of it, or return it to points of sale for a refund, and recommended consulting health authorities if any abnormal symptoms appear.
The company stated that the product was sold in packs of 20 intended for retail sale, and bore the identification code (UPC): 757817783069, without specifying the number of units that were withdrawn.
It is not yet clear how these pharmaceutical substances were added to the product, although the promotional materials referred only to herbal ingredients such as Siberian ginseng and maca root, and claimed to improve the sexual experience.
This recall comes as part of a series of similar incidents, as other products from different companies were recalled during the same month after it was discovered that they contained the same pharmaceutical substances.
Doctors stress the need for caution with these products, noting that an overdose of these drugs may lead to side effects such as headaches, dizziness, and indigestion, and in severe cases may cause heart problems, a dangerous drop in blood pressure, or a prolonged erection requiring urgentmedical intervention.
