Are There Adverse Events after the Use of Sexual Enhancement Nutrition Supplements? A Nationwide Online Survey from Japan.

Chiharu Nishijima,Tsuyoshi Chiba,Etsuko Kobayashi,Yoko Sato

doi:10.3390/nu11112814

Abstract

Dozens of safety alerts for sexual enhancement and weight loss dietary supplements have been launched from the government not only in Japan but also overseas. However, adverse events have been reported only for the use of weight loss supplements, and the prevalence of use and adverse events in sexual enhancement supplements is not known in Japan. To address this issue, we assessed the situation of sexual enhancement supplement use through a nationwide online survey. The prevalence of sexual enhancement supplement use among males was 23.0%. Use of these supplements was higher among younger people than among older people (p < 0.001). In total, 17.6% of users had experienced adverse events, but 58.3% of them did not consult about the events with anybody because of the temporality of their symptoms and their sense of shame. In addition, eight supplement products were found to be possible adulterated supplements in this survey. It is necessary to inform the public about the risk of sexual enhancement supplement use and also prepare a place for consultation on media channels that younger people are more familiar with, in order to monitor adverse events while also preserving their privacy.

Highlights

The use of dietary supplements has expanded worldwide
We explored why there have been no safety alerts about adverse events related to sexual enhancement supplements among males, while alerts about weight loss supplements among females have been occasionally launched
Our results showed that supplement users for both sexual enhancement and weight loss thought that they would consult with a doctor if adverse events occurred

Summary

Introduction

With the increase in the health consciousness of the public, numerous dietary supplements claiming to support physical function have been developed and sold in Japan. Consumers expect to gain health benefits from these supplements, but there are inherent risks of adverse effects caused by the ingredients themselves and interactions with medicinal drugs [1]. Herbal products that illegally have undeclared synthetic substances or adulterants added to them to gain increased impact and fast action have been found on the market [2]. Health and food safety related authorities in each country, such as the U.S Food and. Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan, take measures to investigate these adulterated products and take actions to remove them from the market. They issue public notices and safety alerts to protect consumers from these products

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