Herbal Viagra: What It Is and Risks

Getting herbal Viagra is easy — you can usually find these cleverly packaged and over-hyped supplements at the convenience store on your next beer run. But easy isn’t always better — or safe.

Skipping a trip to the doctor may sound appealing, especially if it means you don’t have to get medical advice about your penis from some stranger in a white coat. But these herbal ED supplements are no match for genuine Viagra®, an FDA-approved medication that’s been thoroughly studied, tested, and successfully used for decades.

Keep reading to find out what herbal and organic Viagra pills contain, what the science says about their benefits and risks, and how you can access science-backed treatment options for erectile dysfunction (ED) without the hassle.

Contrary to its name, herbal Viagra (or natural Viagra) usually doesn’t contain sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Viagra. If it does contain sildenafil citrate, it does so illegally.

Despite not being chemically identical to real Viagra, herbal Viagra often contains chemicals that promote blood flow like sildenafil does. They may also have hidden ingredients that put your health at risk.

Because herbal Viagra can mean different things and contain virtually any ingredient, the term is used to describe any over-the-counter natural remedy for ED. This includes so-called aphrodisiacs and pseudo-pharmaceuticals you can buy without a prescription.

What Herbs Are in Herbal Viagra?

Ginkgo biloba, ginseng, L-arginine — these herbs aren’t necessarily harmful in small doses. But they probably won’t improve your erectile function.

That said, gas station sex pills, rhino pills, and herbal Viagra pills you find online may be harmful. They often contain hidden ingredients that haven’t been thoroughly tested or the wrong quantities of ingredients.

At best, there’s no proof herbal remedies can treat a problem with proven solutions. At worst, they can be dangerous and have serious health implications.

Viagra is the brand-name version of a medication called sildenafil citrate. It belongs to a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, more commonly known as PDE5 inhibitors.

These medications inhibit an enzyme that can interfere with your ability to get hard. They’re medically prescribed drug treatments that, when taken properly, can promote the release of nitric oxide, widen blood vessels, and increase blood flow to maintain erections.

Like other PDE5s, Viagra has been thoroughly tested through decades of medical research, clinical trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews, making it a safe and proven treatment.

“Natural” may seem like a comforting word. But mercury and cyanide are both naturally occurring, and you probably wouldn’t purposefully put those in your body.

Herb Viagra, sometimes called plant Viagra, may include:

• Horny goat weed (also known as epimedium)

• Panax ginseng or red ginseng

• Cordyceps sinensis (sometimes called Chinese herbal Viagra pills)

• Ashwagandha

• L-citrulline

• L-arginine

• Yohimbe

• DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone)

• Ginkgo biloba

• Maca root

• Mondia whitei

You might think that if you mixed all of these in a blender and made pills at home, you’d end up with a super-erection and magic sex powers. You may also assume your testosterone levels would skyrocket to new heights, that you’d be infused with tiger blood, and that you’d never need to see a urologist again.

Unfortunately, you’d be disappointed because, as far as experts are concerned, most of these supplements aren’t as effective as the real thing.

To the credit of these herbal Viagra companies and the “herbs” listed above, most of these products do have a study or two to corroborate some portion of their claims.

The study data for dietary supplements and herbal supplements for ED might even look like the evidence for prescription medications if you turn your head and squint — a lot.

But here’s the truth: The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) hasn’t approved any of these products to treat health conditions like ED. And most of these sexual enhancement products only have a few verifiable instances of improving erectile function while coming with big risks like high blood pressure.

Horny Goat Weed ED Supplements

Epimedium (horny goat weed), for example, has been shown to provide small improvements in erectile dysfunction in testing on animals.

However, no significant human studies show these effects translate to people.

Ginseng and Ginkgo Biloba ED Supplements

Then there’s Chinese ginseng, red ginseng, and ginkgo biloba: three products frequently marketed for ED.

They’ve been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, but none have substantial scientific evidence backing them as ED treatments.

Yohimbine ED Supplements

Yohimbine is one of the few herbal ED treatments with limited research suggesting it may increase sexual desire — but it isn’t clear how yohimbine measures up to regular ED medications.

Furthermore, natural alternatives to Viagra can have a slew of side effects — sometimes even more than Viagra itself.

Herbal ED treatments lack scientifically proven benefits for the most part, but the side effects and risks are pretty well-established.

Most can cause a variety of symptoms similar to those experienced with prescription ED medications, like headaches and blood pressure fluctuations.

Beyond that, they can cause more serious symptoms that put your general health at risk:

• Yohimbine can cause side effects like high blood pressure (hypertension), fast heartbeat, nausea, and dizziness.

• In rare cases (primarily in people with epilepsy), ginkgo biloba can cause seizures.

• One study of L-arginine was stopped early because six people died in the treatment group, compared to none in the placebo group. Men — especially those at risk of cardiovascular issues like heart disease — should be particularly careful.

Since these “medications” aren’t medically tested or produced with medical levels of rigor, you can’t assume they’re safe. In 2015, the FDA warned consumers about buying or using products marketed as herbal Viagra pills.

The reason? One form of herb Viagra contained a hidden drug ingredient. That ingredient, it turns out, was sildenafil (generic Viagra) — the active ingredient in the real version of Viagra, which was neither disclosed on the label nor legal.

This can be dangerous for men taking medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease. These drugs often contain nitrates like nitroglycerine, which can negatively interact with sildenafil and decrease blood pressure to dangerously low levels.

The point is, gents, these medications are unsafe. Unlike FDA-approved treatment options, they aren’t thoroughly vetted and aren’t held to the same standards of testing and safety.

If you’ve been struggling with ED or are beginning to see symptoms, there are better ways to address this valid health condition than grabbing untested packets and pills off the shelf.

The first and most important thing you should do is seek professional help from a urology expert or another licensed medical provider.

A healthcare professional can address your particular needs and help you find a safe and effective treatment.

Plus, they might spot other conditions commonly associated with ED symptoms — everything from obesity and diabetes to anxiety and depression.

They may recommend treatments for these conditions alongside proven remedies for decreased bedroom performance.

Besides recommended lifestyle changes, therapy, and home remedies for ED, your provider might suggest medications like Cialis® (tadalafil), Viagra (sildenafil), or Stendra® (avanafil).

Our chewable ED meds are hard mints containing vardenafil, the active ingredient in Levitra®, another science-backed ED medication.

All of these safe and effective drugs are prescription PDE5 inhibitors that regulate blood flow to your penis and are proven to help treat erectile dysfunction.

ED is a common condition, affecting an estimated 30 million to 50 million men nationwide. So if you’ve got a group of four friends, there’s a chance at least one suffers from the same problem.

Buying something potentially unsafe to avoid difficult conversations isn’t a solution — if anything, it may make things worse.

There’s a reason herbal and so-called “plant Viagra” aren’t sold in pharmacies but rather at gas stations and bodegas next to the bin of $2 DVDs. These herbal ED treatments aren’t proven to treat any medical conditions, and they’re probably a waste of time.

Remember:

• Herbal Viagra is a less-regulated market of supplements. For sexual dysfunction and sexual performance issues, medications like Viagra, Levitra Cialis, and their generics are a better bet.

• Only a few claims are verifiable, but the rest is murky. Scientific evidence backing these products is scarce. Healthcare professionals aren’t going to be recommending these pills for erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation (PE) anytime soon.

• Prescription medication is a more trustworthy option. For effective erectile dysfunction treatments, you can’t go with vitamins and supplements for ED or OTC Viagra — it’s just too risky. Stick with proven treatments to protect your sexual function and overall health.

Want more guidance on how to improve your sexual health? Explore these tips for maintaining an erection, learn if ED can be reversed, and find out how to know if you have erectile dysfunction if you’re unsure.