A wide variety of erectile dysfunction treatment options are on the market (both legal and illegal). Of course, the three main products are Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra, the three FDA-approved ED treatments. Then, there are counterfeit medications, which sometimes go under the disguise of “generic” versions of the authentic medications. A product that is being seen more and more is something called “herbal Viagra.”

But what is herbal Viagra?

Aside from claiming to treat erectile dysfunction, the products known as herbal Viagra have no relation to the brand Viagra. In fact, these products do not even contain sildenafil citrate, the key ingredient in Viagra. Rather, these products are composed of a variety of ingredients, supposedly herbal or “natural” ingredients. However, because these products aren’t regulated, the ingredients are usually unknown.

People turn to herbal Viagra for a “natural” treatment for their erectile dysfunction. However, many of these products are far from “natural.” Medications coming from foreign countries that aren’t regulated by the FDA pose potential health risks. Just recently, a Chinese product advertised as “Herbal Viagra” that sold all over the United Kingdom was found to contain dangerous amounts prescription pharmaceutical ingredients. This posed serious health risks, like heart problems, to users of the medication.
The FDA cracked down on “herbal” pills in 2006, banning 8 pills that were found to contain prescription ingredients similar to prescription Viagra.

Unfortunately, these “herbal remedies” have a tendency to be far from herbal, and therefore pose serious health risks just like counterfeit medications do. It’s always the safe and healthy choice to purchase medication that is regulated by the FDA, rather than purchasing mystery pills that may or may not have the desired effect, and may or may not cause serious health problems.