Magic Power Coffee: Potentially Dangerous—Not Magical

Consumers should not use an instant coffee being sold online as a dietary supplement for sexual enhancement, warns the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The product, Magic Power Coffee, contains a potentially dangerous ingredient. The product is sold in a two-serving box as well as in a carton that contains six two-serving boxes.

FDA’s lab analysis determined that Magic Power Coffee contains a chemical similar to the active ingredient in the prescription drug Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction. The chemical may interact with prescription drugs known as nitrates, including nitroglycerin, and cause dangerously low blood pressure.

Although Magic Power Coffee is labeled as an “all natural dietary supplement,” it can cause serious harm. Sexual enhancement products that claim to work as well as prescription products are likely to expose consumers to unpredictable risks and the potential for injury or even death.

Public Notification: “Hard Ten Days” Contains Undeclared Drug Ingredient

[2-18-2012] The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to purchase or use “Hard Ten Days,” a product for sexual enhancement sold on various websites.  FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that “Hard Ten Days” contains sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, an FDA approved prescription drug for Erectile Dysfunction (ED).  


Sildenafil may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs such as nitroglycerin and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.  Men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrates.

Consumers should stop using this product immediately and throw it away.  Consumers who have experienced any negative side effects should consult a health care professional as soon as possible. (See label)

Public Notification: “Man King” Contains Undeclared Drug Ingredient

[2-18-2012] The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to purchase or use “Man King,” a product for sexual enhancement sold on various websites.  


FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that “Man King” contains sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, an FDA approved prescription drug for Erectile Dysfunction (ED).  Sildenafil may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs such as nitroglycerin and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.  Men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrates.

Consumers should stop using this product immediately and throw it away.  Consumers who have experienced any negative side effects should consult a health care professional as soon as possible. (See Label)

Caution about Sexual Enhancement Products

FDA Consumer Corner

You can easily find them on the internet - products sold as "dietary supplements" to enhance sexual performance or treat erectile dysfunction. Many of these products are said to be "all natural" alternatives to prescription drugs. That might make you think they're harmless. But they may not be.


FDA has found that many of these supposedly "all natural" products actually contain ingredients that aren't on the label, and these ingredients could lead to serious and even fatal effects.


An FDA investigation of a number of these sexual enhancement supplements found that a third of them actually contained the same or similar ingredients to the class of prescription drugs that includes Viagra (sildenafil citrate), Cialis (tadalafil) and Levitra (vardenafil HCl.

5 Confusing Food Labels

By Lucy Danziger and the staff at SELF

These days, it seems like almost every packaged good you pick up has a label touting the food's body benefits: heart-healthy! cholesterol-free! But some health claims are more hype than anything else, resulting in labels that are confusing, redundant and just plain silly. To help you spend your grocery money wisely, we had experts puzzle out the promises.

The sell: “Gluten-free” seeds

All seeds are naturally gluten-free, say self contributing experts Stephanie Clarke, R.D., and Willow Jarosh, R.D. Gluten is a portion of a protein found in certain grains like wheat. Some marketers may be trying to capitalize on the popularity of no-gluten diets for weight loss (which don't necessarily work, BTW). Bottom line Don't mistake gluten-free for diet-friendly: The term doesn't mean seeds—or any food—are less fattening.

The sell: “Cholesterol-free” corn oil

Duh alert! Any plant-based food has zero cholesterol. The only place you'll find cholesterol is in animal products, because it comes from the membranes of animal cells. Unless a living creature was involved (as with cheese), the food is cholesterol-free. Bottom line Yes, corn oil is cholesterol-free, but so are olive and peanut oils. And walnut and grapeseed oils. Choose based on your intended use (corn oil for cooking, olive for salad dressing).

The sell: “Real cheese”

Um, as opposed to what? Sadly, there are dairy-free soy imitations that look like true cheese, including the shredded stuff on some pizzas. Foods with the REAL seal must be made with actual dairy, but they can also have unsavory ingredients such as added preservatives and colors (e.g., taxicab yellow). Bottom line You can't count on front-of-the-box labels to avoid processed junk. Look for red flag words like cheese product.

The sell: “Promotes respiratory health”

This tea heralds wellness perks in big type, but the fine print reveals that the FDA hasn't evaluated the claim and the product doesn't treat illness. Companies can legally get away with making health-related pledges by using weaker words (support, promote) versus authoritative ones (prevent, protect). Bottom line No single food is a cure-all for sickness. If you're under the weather, visit your doctor—you may need a real Rx.

The sell: “All-natural” carrots

Natural foods are flying off shelves; it's little wonder the label is everywhere, even on foods that clearly came from the ground. The term, however, is toothless, Clarke and Jarosh say. The FDA hasn't defined natural and doesn't regulate its use, so companies can—and do—use it willy-nilly to up sales. Bottom line Don't let an “I'm natural” pickup line charm you into opening your wallet. Check ingredients to decide on a buy.

Find out how to save even more green at the supermarket. These tips will help you shrink your bill without compromising your healthy-eating habits!

For more inspiring healthy food and fit tips, follow SELF on Facebook and Twitter.

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/healthieryou/35-confusing-food-labels