‘Sexual Chocolate’ Faces Recall After FDA Tests Reveal Undisclosed Viagra

American food and drug administration Regularly announce reminders. But she recently released a surprise Alert series: Many brands of chocolate marketed for “sexual enhancement” contain undeclared medications prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction, according to laboratory analyzes conducted by the agency.

The flagged products — some of which have been voluntarily recalled — are sold online under names such as Boner Bears Chocolate, DTF Sexual Chocolate, Love Chocolate With Ginseng for Men, and Rhino Choco VIP. Some are labeled as “all natural” or claim to contain herbal ingredients such as Pau de Cabinda powder, which is used as a libido enhancer.

The Food and Drug Administration advises consumers not to buy the chocolate, because it contains sildenafil and tadalafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis, respectively. They work by relaxing blood vessels and increasing blood flow to the penis. One product, Pink Pussycat Aphrodisiac Chocolate, is marketed to women. (The FDA has not approved Viagra or Cialis for women.)

“FDA approval of Viagra and Cialis is limited to use under the supervision of a licensed health care professional,” according to the agency. The FDA warns that these ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription medications, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. The FDA says adult men who use nitrates to treat heart disease are most at risk from these products.

Some chocolate distributors, including Nalbak and Gir Islandthey voluntarily recall products. The FDA notice states that Nalpac is not the manufacturer of these products. Gear Isle says on its website that it has no manufacturing arm and does not manufacture any of the products it sells.

The FDA says consumers and retailers with the recalled products should stop using or selling the products and return them to the place of purchase or dispose of them immediately.

Many honey products have also been found to contain sildenafil and tadalafil. Pure Vitamins and Natural Supplements of Tampa is recalling the single-serve plastic tubes under the names Boner Bear Honey, Red Bull Extreme and Blue Bull Extreme. The company says it did not make the honey. Earlier this year, the city of Acarco, Virginia, announced a recall of honey from a pot sold under the name Ashfiat Alharamain Energy Support because it contained undeclared tadalafil.

Typically, foods are recalled because they contain undeclared allergens or cause outbreaks of foodborne pathogens. Before this year, there had only been one previous recall on the FDA website of a dietary product containing undisclosed sildenafil or tadalafil, called Kingdom Honey, which was recalled in 2022. There have been several previous recalls of dietary supplements containing these ingredients. It dates back to 2018.

No adverse reactions have been reported to the FDA, but again, it may be because the chocolate lives up to its advertising claims.