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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning against purchasing or consuming a variety of honey-based products sold as herbal sexual enhancements after the agency discovered that they contain prescription drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).
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The FDA found tadalafil (Cialis) and sildenafil (Viagra) in the affected products. The ingredients were not printed on the product label. Both drugs have been approved by the FDA but are supposed to be available only by prescription; taking them without a doctor’s supervision can cause health risks and even death. Tadalafil and sildenafil may interact with nitrates such as nitroglycerin or with other drugs often used to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease.
“Tainted honey-based products like these are dangerous because consumers are likely unaware of the risks associated with the hidden prescription drug ingredients in these products and how they may interact with other drugs and supplements they may take,” Judy McMeekin, FDA associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, said in a statement.