FDA warns against erectile dysfunction supplement
The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers that Stiff Nights, a "dietary supplement" used to promote erections, contains an illegal drug and is potentially dangerous.
Following a complaint, the FDA investigated the product and found that it contains sulfoaildenafil, an analog of sildenafil -- the active ingredient in Viagra -- that has not been approved. Sulfoaildenafil may interact with prescription drugs called nitrates, including nitrogylcerin, producing dangerously low blood pressure.
The product is distributed on Internet sites and at retail stores by Impulsaria LLC of Grand Rapids, Mich. "Because this product is labeled as an 'all natural dietary supplement,' consumers may assume it is harmless and poses no health risk," said Deborah M. Autor, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Office of Compliance. "In fact, this product is illegally marketed and can cause serious complications."
-- Thomas H. Maugh II
