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Men, Beware! Sketchy Sexual Performance Drugs Prove Fatal

Learn about the risks of illegal anti-impotence drugs compared to FDA-approved Cialis or Viagra, including health dangers and safety concerns.

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No, there's no cause for alarm over the FDA-approved Cialis or Viagra. But some illegal anti-impotence drugs in Singapore contaminated with the diabetes drug glyburide have caused dangerously low blood sugar levels in a reported 150 people—and led to the deaths of four men. "Power 1 Walnut" and "Santi Bovine Penis Erecting Capsule" are the names of two of the offending drugs—or, rather, herbal supplements promoted for sexual enhancement. A counterfeit version of Cialis was also found by authorities. Canada had already issued a Foreign Product Alert against the "Santi Bovine" last year, but that obviously did no good for people in Singapore. A summary of the recent findings was reported in the Journal of New England Medicine. Whether it includes the risk of 36-hour erections remains to be seen. Related Content: Discoblog: Aphrodisiac Squared: Viagra-Powered Oysters DISCOVER: Are You Getting Worse, or Did It Stop Working? 80beats: Viagra Helps Women Combat the Sexual Side Effects of Antidepressants

Image: Flickr / Ozchin

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