The FDA warns that many sexual enhancement products sold as supplements, honeys, chocolates or "natural" pills contain hidden prescription drug ingredients that can cause dangerous drops in blood pressure and other harm.
The FDA warns that many products sold for sexual enhancement, including "male enhancement" pills, stamina capsules, honeys, chocolates and gummies, are likely to contain hidden prescription drug ingredients that are not listed on the label. These products are often marketed as dietary supplements or all-natural, and they are sold online, in stores and at gas stations. The hidden ingredients can interact with common heart medications and cause dangerous drops in blood pressure, so the safest approach is to avoid them and talk with a licensed provider about legitimate options.
The FDA maintains a public list of notifications about sexual enhancement and energy products found to contain hidden ingredients. Its summary is direct: many products that claim to help with sexual enhancement or sexual dysfunction are likely to be contaminated with dangerous hidden ingredients. These products are sometimes falsely advertised as dietary supplements, foods or all-natural treatments, often have many positive reviews, and are frequently shared on social media.
The list is long and keeps growing. As of October 2026, it included new notifications issued throughout the year. The FDA also cautions that the list covers only a small fraction of the contaminated products on the market.
More broadly, the FDA's medication health fraud program has identified more than 1,000 fraudulent products that make false or unproven claims. According to the FDA, these products are marketed and sold without FDA review and approval, there is no guarantee they will work, and they can pose a serious risk to health, sometimes leading to hospitalization.
Contaminated products come in many forms. The FDA issued warning letters to four companies selling honey-based products and published public notifications for 24 honey products after laboratory testing found undeclared tadalafil and sildenafil. Other notifications have involved chocolates, gummies and coffee. Some products are marketed to women as well as men.
| Hidden ingredient | What it is | Main concern the FDA describes |
|---|---|---|
| Sildenafil, tadalafil | Active ingredients in FDA-approved prescription ED medications | May interact with nitrates such as nitroglycerin and lower blood pressure to dangerous levels |
| Flibanserin | Active ingredient in a prescription medication for low desire in women | Drowsiness and sedation; dangerously low blood pressure and fainting, especially with alcohol |
| Yohimbine | A plant-derived chemical once used in prescription ED medication | At high levels, severe high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, seizures and anxiety or confusion |
The FDA explains that sildenafil and tadalafil are restricted to use under the supervision of a licensed health care professional for a reason. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrate medications. Someone in that situation could take a "natural" product without knowing it contains a drug that should never be combined with their heart medication.
In one 2026 notification, the FDA reported that additional samples of a product contained yohimbine at dangerously high levels, along with tadalafil and flibanserin. The agency noted that risks are greater for people who also take stimulants such as caffeine, ADHD medications, MAO inhibitors or certain antidepressants.
Labels such as "herbal," "all natural" or "dietary supplement" can create a sense of safety. In the FDA's findings, those claims were often false. Hidden ingredients also mean the person taking the product does not know what drug, or how much of it, they are taking, which makes interactions and side effects harder to predict.
The NIDDK advises talking with a health care professional before using dietary supplements or alternative medicines for erectile difficulties, and not ordering an ED medicine online before that conversation, because medicines and supplements can affect how other medicines work.
Stop using the product and talk with a licensed provider, especially if you take nitrates or other heart medications. Seek urgent care for dizziness, fainting, chest pain, a very fast or irregular heartbeat, or an erection lasting more than 4 hours, and call 911 in an emergency. The FDA asks consumers and clinicians to report side effects to its MedWatch program.
The FDA does not say that every product is tainted, but it says many sexual enhancement products are likely to be contaminated, and that its list covers only a small fraction of them. Because you cannot see hidden ingredients, it is safest to discuss any product with a licensed provider first.
The FDA explains that sildenafil and tadalafil may interact with nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, and lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrates, so an undisclosed ingredient can create a serious risk without the user knowing.
Prescription medications are prescribed by a licensed provider after a review of your health and other medications, and are dispensed by a licensed pharmacy with a label that lists the active ingredient. Compounded prescription products, such as compounded PT-141, are not FDA-approved, and that should be explained to you plainly, but their ingredients are disclosed and they are dispensed under a prescription.
Sexual health concerns are common and treatable, and there are legitimate, supervised options to explore. A licensed provider can review your health and medications, look for underlying causes, and talk through approved and compounded options honestly. You can learn more on our sexual health page or read about erectile difficulties. This article is educational and does not determine eligibility for any treatment.
Written by the NewDay Wellness editorial team from the sources above and checked against them before publication, and medically reviewed by Dr. Sean Arora and Dr. Shannon Arora of Arora Health & Aesthetics; see our editorial standards. This article is educational and does not diagnose conditions, establish eligibility for any medication, or replace care from a licensed provider. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.
Many common medications, including some antidepressants, blood pressure medicines, hormonal treatments and opioids, can affect desire, arousal, erections or orgasm. Never stop a medication on your own; talk with your prescriber about options.
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