California company recalls chocolates after Viagra-like ingredients discovered

A California chocolate company is currently conducting a recall of its products after they were found to contain traces of sildenafil and tadalafil, unbeknownst to customers. These two are commonly used as active ingredients in erectile dysfunction (ED) medications like Viagra and Cialis.

According to The LA Times, the recall was initiated by a San Francisco Bay Area company named Gear Isle. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration prohibits selling products “spiked” with undeclared prescription drug ingredients, especially since these substances can cause a life-threatening drop in blood pressure when mixed with nitrates.

There have been recent cases of mishaps in medical settings that this kind of preemptive action is meant to prevent — although this isn’t exactly how anyone expects to encounter prescription medication. Cases like the one in California where a three-day-old infant died after a practitioner allegedly used a narcotic instead of a local anesthetic, or another in Pennsylvania where a 21-year-old had a surgical procedure go completely wrong just days after his wedding.

This isn’t the first FDA-mandated major recall recently, and it’s not even Gear Isle’s first. The company had previously recalled male enhancement products for similar issues, and the FDA had already issued warnings about its use of undeclared ingredients.

This time, the products in question were called Gold Lion Aphrodisiac Chocolate Male Enhancement Sachet and Ilum Sex Chocolate Male Sexual Enhancement Booster. The names of these “chocolate” products are not exactly subtle. And even before the recall, the FDA had already warned consumers against purchasing them — which, in hindsight, was probably a strong hint.

Subsequent reports revealed that these ingredients should not be present in over-the-counter dietary supplements. FDA classifications do not allow supplements to contain prescription pharmaceutical ingredients, and selling them in this hidden form is considered health fraud.

For obvious reasons, men dealing with ED often avoid doctor visits and instead look for “natural” remedies they can access easily. The problem is — as in the case of Gear Isle — they may end up taking prescription drugs anyway, just without instructions, medical advice, or regulation.

The men most at risk are those using nitrates to treat cardiac conditions. This overlap isn’t uncommon, since the risks of both heart issues and ED tend to increase with age. Authorities have specifically advised consumers to stop taking these products immediately.
Gear Isle’s website presents a company that specializes in selling “adult novelties,” though it also notes that it does not manufacture its products in-house — it repackages them. The Ilum sexual enhancement chocolate, in particular, comes in a black package with yellow font that reads “male sex chocolate,” which, if nothing else, is very committed to the bit.

In February, the FDA released a statement warning consumers: “Consumers should exercise caution before purchasing these products. FDA is unable to test and identify all products marketed as dietary supplements that have potentially harmful hidden ingredients.”

The agency added that products marketed as shortcuts to dietary or sexual goals often contain undisclosed drug ingredients — which is one way of saying that if it sounds too good to be true, it might also be prescription medication in disguise.