Prolonged use of herbal sex enhancement supplements unsafe — Experts

EXPERTS say that the increasing incidence of male infertility is being enhanced by the high metal content of many herbal sex enhancement supplements sold in the country.

They found that herbal sex enhancement supplements sold in Nigeria contain high levels of lead and cadmium, metals that are known to have male reproductive toxicity.

In this study, herbal sex enhancement supplements were bought from pharmaceutical shops in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and analysed for heavy metals (Chromium, Arsenic, Cobalt, Mercury, Cadmium and lead) contents using atomic absorption spectroscopy.

This 2019 study, published in the journal, Environmental Science and Pollution Research had sampled 37 brands of herbal sex enhancement supplements.

The estimated daily metal intake (EDImetal), target hazard quotients (THQ), and total target hazard quotients (TTHQ) were determined.

All the herbal sex enhancers used in this study contained heavy metals in these ranges: lead (0.032–0593), cobalt (0.025–0.075), cadmium (0.0011–0.048), and chromium (0.016–0.49) mg/kg. But mercury and arsenic were below the detectable limit.

About 24.32 per cent of the samples had TTHQ greater than 1. The high metal contents of these herbal sex enhancement supplements suggest that the use of some of these herbal sex enhancement supplements may not be risk-free after long time usage.

They stated that multiple dosing and polypharmacy of these sex enhancers may accentuate the deleterious effects of these heavy metal contaminants.

The researchers stated that since these metals are known to have male reproductive toxicity, these supplements may be adding to both the body burden of these metals, which might be a hidden contributor to the male reproductive health issues in Nigeria.

Erectile dysfunction is a persistent inability to achieve or maintain penile erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. In Nigeria, prevalence rates of 57.4 to 43.6 per cent have been reported.

Although use of sex enhancers may not be throughout lifespan, the behavioural trends of the affected Nigerian male population suggest very early exposure to these sex enhancers.

The use of herbal medicines to enhance sexual performance has increased due to escalated prevalence and impact of sexual problems globally.

The public health implication of this on the local population is not only largely undocumented but ignored often on the premise that natural products are nontoxic.