A Texas coffee company has voluntarily recalled one of its roasts containing an ingredient (sildenafil) similar to what’s in the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, the US Food and Drug Administration announced.
But the coffee and viagra connection is not too far-fetched.
An interesting study published in PLOS ONE in 2015 investigated the role of caffeine in ED by analyzing 3,724 men aged 20 and above.
The men were asked a single question survey about ED, then polled on their eating habits over the last 24 hours to assess their caffeine intake.
The researchers found that men in the 3rd or 4th quintiles of caffeine intake were less likely to report ED than men in the lowest quintile — a group largely made up of men that consumed no caffeine at all.
The 3rd and 4th quintile groups consisted of men that consumed 85-170mg and 171-303mg of caffeine per 24 hours. To put this in perspective, a single 12oz cup of brewed coffee has about 120mg of caffeine.
In short, drinking one or two cups of coffee per day could reduce the risk of experiencing ED
The recall comes on the heels of an FDA lab report confirming the presence of desmethyl carbodenafil in Bestherbs Coffee LLC’s New of Kopi Jantan Tradisional Natural Herbs blend.
“Desmethyl carbodenafil is similar to sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, an FDA-approved prescription drug for erectile dysfunction, according to the FDA. The undeclared ingredient 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 medications that contain nitrates,” CNN reports.
Viagra, a prescription medicine, is used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and impotence in men. About 50 percent of men over 40 have some degree of ED, Pfizer reports. It works by increasing blood flow to the penis in order to help a man get and sustain an erection when he is sexually aroused or stimulated.
In addition to Desmethyl carbodenafi, the recall notes that traces of undeclared milk were also discovered. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products.
Between 2 and 3 percent of children younger than 3 are allergic to milk, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology states. While about 80 percent of children are likely to outgrow their milk allergy before the age of 16, those who don’t, run the risk of developing hives and an upset stomach, vomiting, bloody stool, or worse, anaphylaxis — a rare, potentially life-threatening reaction that impairs breathing and can send the body into shock.
Based in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie, the coffee retailer distributed the goods between July 2014 and June 2016 nationwide — on various websites as well as in-store. The instant brew was promoted as a male enhancement product, with some customers purchasing it to help in the bedroom, but FDA spokeswoman Lyndsay Meyer said it is not clear whether the product works like Viagra.
No illnesses related to the consumption of the coffee have been reported. While the company is reportedly contacting buyers by phone. The FDA advises people who experience problems that might be related to the product to contact their physician or healthcare provider. In the meantime, customers are being asked to return the product to Bestherbs Coffee LLC.
In 2016, the FDA advised the public to shy away from a similar product, Stiff Bull Herbal Coffee, containing undeclared desmethyl carbodenafil. In May, Caverlo Natural Herbal Coffee, a coffee containing undeclared ingredients like those in erectile dysfunction drugs, was also recalled.