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March 24, 2005 — Web sites touting herbal “Viagra” for erectile
dysfunction draw criticism in a new British study.
It’s easy and confidential to find such sites, say the researchers. But
“patients should be cautious as safety and
reliability of this approach is poor,” they write.
They’re particularly concerned that some sites may not provide all the facts
about the products or warn patients to get their heart checked out.
Erectile
dysfunction (ED) may be a sign of heart disease or blood vessel
problems.
These conditions could go undetected and untreated in
patients using herbal treatments, say the researchers. Without knowing the
ingredients or side effects of such treatments, patients could unwittingly put
their health at risk.
ED Affects Millions of Men
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects nearly 30 million men in the U.S., say the
researchers. ED may stem from physical or psychological issues or a combination
of both factors. It doesn’t mean that men lack desire or sexual interest, and
it’s not a normal, occasional problem. Instead, ED is a man’s consistent
inability to maintain an erection to have satisfactory sex.
The risk of erectile dysfunction increases with age:
- About 40% of men in their 40s report at least occasional problems getting
and maintaining erections.
- 52% of men between ages 40 and 70 report erection problems.
- About 70% of men in their 70s report erection problems.
Doctors can prescribe treatments to help, but many men don’t discuss ED with
their doctors. “It is estimated that close to 90% of ED sufferers are still
reluctant to visit their family doctors because of embarrassment,” says the
study.
With Internet access common, some men may go online to look for solutions.
But they may not always get what they bargained for, the study suggests.
Looking at 33 web sites selling herbal substitutes for Viagra, the
researchers spotted red flags including:
- No information from medically trained staff (79% of the sites)
- No statement that the site’s information doesn’t replace medical advice
(76% of the sites)
- No warning about ED-associated heart disease (None of the sites posted this
warning.)
- No information about contraindications (64% of the sites)
- No information on side effects (79% of the sites)
- Lack of referenced information (82% of the sites)
- Lack of disclaimers (67% of the sites)
- No information about ingredients (30% of the sites)
- No information on pills
of the herbs (18% of the sites)
“All sites fell short of the Health on the Net requirements,” says
the study.
The Health on the Net (HON) Foundation is a medical and health web site
accreditation organization supported by the World Health Organization. HON
provides standards that it recommends health information web sites adhere
to.
What’s in the Bottle?
Herbal treatments aren’t regulated by the government. The most common
ingredients cited in the study were yohimbe,ginseng, and ginkgo
biloba.
Yohimbe can cause headaches, sweating, and high blood pressure, making it
herbal impotence treatment for patients with heart and cheap generic viagra
disease, say the
researchers. Reports of diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, and allergic skin
reactions have been linked to gingko biloba, they say.
That’s not to say that those herbs might not have an effect on ED. But the
pros and cons of any treatment — herbal or not — should be made clear, the
study suggests.
Health experts recommend that patients tell their doctors about any
supplements they take (including herbal products and vitamins). That could help
avoid interactions between treatments.
Herbal or Not?
Two years ago, the FDA cracked down on a supposedly all-natural herbal
treatment marketed to men and women to enhance sexual experience. The FDA
learned that the product, called Vinarol,Vinarol, actually contained Viagra’s active
ingredient, says the study.
“It is unknown how many other treatments for ED marketed as
“herbal” supplements actually contain active and potentially dangerous
compounds,” write the researchers, who included Ramesh Thurairaja of the
urology department at England’s Bristol Royal Infirmary.
The study appears in the March/April issue of the Erectile dysfunction meds
Journal
of Impotence Research.
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