'Potent' medicinal ingredient found in sexual enhancement coffee product: HSA
SINGAPORE — Members of the public have been warned against purchasing or consuming a coffee product purported to contain herbal ingredients that enhance male sexual health.
Photo of ‘Prime Pejuang Kopi 3 in 1’ that was tested by HSA. The sachet drink had been marketed online as a natural product containing "herbal ingredients of high quality".
SINGAPORE — Members of the public have been warned against purchasing or consuming a coffee product purported to contain herbal ingredients that enhance male sexual health.
The advisory from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Thursday (May 26) came after it received feedback on two cases of adverse effects after the individuals consumed Prime Kopi Pejuang 3 in 1.
The sachet drink had been marketed online as a natural product containing "herbal ingredients of high quality".
"HSA proceeded to test the coffee product and found that contrary to the advertisement claims, it is not natural or herbal and contains high concentration of an undeclared synthetic potent medicinal ingredient, tadalafil," it added.
Tadalafil is a prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction that should only be given under medical supervision, added the authority.
ONE CONSUMER HOSPITALISED
A consumer was admitted to the hospital emergency department after he experienced adverse effects such as body aches, chills, migraine and tightness around the jawline, said HSA.
Another consumer experienced priapism, or prolonged erection, of about four hours after taking the product.
"Priapism is a serious condition and can lead to penile tissue damage and permanent loss of potency if not treated immediately," said the agency.
HSA said consumers taking the product according to the labelled instructions for use, which was one sachet daily, could be overdosing on more than 10 times the usual prescribed dose of tadalafil.
"Inappropriate use of tadalafil is dangerous and can increase the risk of serious adverse effects, including heart attacks, stroke, palpitations, irregular heart rate and priapism," it added.
Taladafil can also pose serious health risks to certain individuals, including those with heart-related problems. It can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure in those who are on heart medications, especially those containing nitrates.
Prime Kopi Pejuang 3 in 1 was sold on local e-commerce sites such as Shopee, Lazada, Qoo10 and Carousell, as well as on Facebook.
HSA has worked with the platform administrators to remove the affected listings and has issued warnings to the sellers.
"All sellers and suppliers must stop selling or supplying Prime Kopi Pejuang 3 in 1 immediately.
"HSA will not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions against anyone who sells and/or supplies products found to be adulterated with potent medicinal ingredients," the authority added.
Sellers and suppliers of the product are liable to be prosecuted. If convicted, they may be jailed for up to two years, or fined up to S$10,000, or both.
Members of the public who have any information on the sale and supply of this illegal product may contact HSA's Enforcement Branch at 6866 3485 during office hours or reach them via email. CNA
Advisory to consumers
- Stop taking Prime Kopi Pejuang 3 in 1 immediately and consult a doctor if you feel unwell or are concerned about your health.
- Be wary of products that deliver quick effects or carry exaggerated claims such as "maximum masculine energy" or "multiple rounds in one night". They can contain undeclared potent medicinal ingredients that can seriously harm your health.
- Exercise caution when buying such products online as you cannot be certain where and how these products were made and whether they have been adulterated with harmful ingredients.
- Only buy such items from reputable pharmacies and retailers’ websites or those with an established retail presence in Singapore.
- Adulterated products are often manufactured in poor conditions with no quality control, and different batches of the same product may contain variable amounts of ingredients or different types of adulterants, or both.
For more reports like this, visit cna.asia.
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