FDA Warns Amazon Over Male Energy Supplements Secretly Containing Viagra—Should Consumers Be Worried?

FDA sent a warning to Amazon over male energy supplements that secretly contain Viagra and other erectile dysfunction treatments. In its letter, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration threatened the American retailer with legal action.

The warning was sent to Amazon this December. FDA's leadership said that it discovered that some of the energy supplements that Amazon sells to men contain undeclared erectile dysfunction treatments.

FDA Warns Amazon Over Male Energy Supplements Secretly Containing Viagra—Should Consumers Be Worried?

(Photo: David Ryder/Getty Images) An Amazon logo is seen inside the Amazon corporate headquarters on June 16, 2017, in Seattle, Washington. Amazon announced that it will buy Whole Foods Market, Inc. for over $13 billion.

These include X Max Triple Shot Energy Honey, Round 2, and Big Guys Male Energy Supplement. FDA said that it discovered Viagra and other similar treatments in these products after purchasing seven of them.

FDA Warns Amazon Over Male Energy Supplements With Viagra

The Food and Drug Administration announced that all seven male energy supplements it purchased contained Viagra and Cialis. Since these erectile dysfunction treatments are not disclosed in these products, the FDA said that selling them violates some federal laws set out by the FD&C Act (Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act).

"Laboratory analyses confirmed that they contained undeclared and potentially harmful active pharmaceutical ingredients," said the FDA via its official warning letter, which was sent to Amazon on Dec. 20.

"Your firm is responsible for introducing or delivering for introduction into interstate commerce products that are unapproved new drugs under section 505(a) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. 355(a)," added the food safety agency.

According to Business Insider's latest report, the FDA allows the use of Cialis and Viagra. However, these erectile dysfunction treatments can only be consumed under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional.

Aside from this, a prescription is also required before consumers can purchase these treatments or products that contain them. The main problem with the FDA's latest discovery is that the male energy supplements it investigates are all marketed as harmless dietary products.

FDA warned that if Amazon wants to sell these, they should be defined as drugs since they contain ingredients used in preventing and treating erectile dysfunctions in men.

Here are all the seven male energy supplements that the FDA warns about:

Round 2
MANNERS Energy Boost
X Max Triple Shot Energy Honey
WeFun
Big Guys Male Energy Supplement
Men's Maximum Energy Supplement
Genergy

Should Amazon Consumers Worry?

(Photo: LIU JIN/AFP via Getty Images) A Chinese doctor shows the anti-impotence drug Viagra at a hospital in Shanghai on 05 July 2000. Viagra officially made its debut in mainland China on 03 July and is now available by prescription in full-service Chinese hospitals.

If ever you purchased one of the mentioned energy supplements above (or just planning to do so), it would be best if you return them or avoid consuming them.

There are many reasons why the FDA requires the approval of a healthcare professional and a prescription before using erectile dysfunction treatments.

One of these is that these drugs have many side effects that can affect your health. Some of the most serious side effects include chest pain, blurred vision, burning during urination, itching during urination, etc.

When consuming Viagra or other similar drugs, there are also steps that you need to follow. For example, you must take it between 30 minutes to 4 hours before sexual intercourse.

These are just some of the reasons why you need to seek help from health professionals before using any erectile dysfunction treatments or products that have them.