Doctor Warns Sexual Performance Aids Should Come From Professional, Not Gas Stations

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Among the items reportedly found at Lamar Odom's bedside were over-the-counter sexual performance pills touted as herbal and safe.

But the Food and Drug Administration has come out this year warning of their dangers.

They have names like Super Hard, King of Romance, Black Panther, and even Herb Viagra. Some can be bought at gas stations, while others can be bought online.

"Do not try these products," Dr. Wali Danesh warns.

Despite their suggestive names and easy access, the FDA has recently come out with warnings after testing a few of the products marketed to men seeking stamina, or a quick fix to erectile dysfunction. 

"The majority of the time, the ingredients are not disclosed," he said. "There are six, seven multiple ingredients and none of them are disclosed."

The FDA tests have found high doses of sildenafil—the drug in Viagra—in the supplements that claim to be herbal.

"Basically, the majority of these drugs are a combination or analogs of the current prescription-strength medications, but at much higher dosages and different combination," he said.

Similar supplements were found at the bedside of former NBA player Lamar Odom, who was found unconscious and rushed to a hospital.

While it's unclear what caused Odom's medical episode, Danesh says the supplements could cause major problems for healthy people, like heart problems or loss of blood pressure.

"You don't know how your kidneys are going to react, how your liver is going to clear this," he said.

Instead, he recommends seeing a professional and not a gas station if you need help.

"Go see your doctor and get proper medication," he said.