Against a fiery background with an African rhino pictured blazing forward, this pill advertises \u201cTIME. SIZE. STAMINA.\u201d It\u2019s a common sight at bodegas and gas stations, hanging behind the clerk between the cigarettes and phone chargers.<\/p>\n
There are dozens of brands<\/a> making these gas station sex pills. Are they totally fake? Not exactly.<\/p>\n At best, they\u2019re just herbal extracts that won\u2019t do much of anything for you. <\/p>\n But at worst, it\u2019s a totally unknown dose of a controlled medication like Viagra \u2014 which could cause heart issues.<\/p>\n The gas station pills are sold by dozens of different brands and packaging. FDA<\/p>\n Grant Harting<\/a>, a pharmacist from Pennsylvania, put one of these capsules to the test to find out exactly what\u2019s in it. In a viral social media video, Harting opened what he called a \u201csketchy gas station pill\u201d that had a \u201clarge African rhino\u201d on the packaging. <\/p>\n It listed ingredients like goji extract, deng sen extract, and cinnamon bark \u2014 an \u201cherbal\u201d blend that he shouldn\u2019t do much of anything.<\/p>\n But when he looked at the powder inside, he immediately knew there was \u201cno shot\u201d it was herbal. He was right: Upon testing, he found it was sildenafil, the same active ingredient of Viagra. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is super illegal and super dangerous,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The brand name Viagra pills are strictly controlled for a reason. The drug should be used under the supervision of a doctor, because it can interact with other drugs and cause dangerously low blood pressure.<\/p>\n The real stuff, which requires a prescription, is also controlled for quality and the doses are consistent and known. The gas station stuff is a total mystery, both in terms of quality and dosage.<\/p>\n The FDA is well aware of the amount of illegal pharmaceuticals on the market. This month alone, they has released four new warnings about these sex pills.<\/p>\n Grant Harting, a pharmacist from Pennsylvania, put one of these capsules to the test to find out exactly what\u2019s in it. Grant Harting\/Instagram<\/p>\n When he looked at the powder inside, he immediately knew there was \u201cno shot\u201d the contents were herbal as advertised. Grant Harting\/Instagram<\/p>\n According to the FDA, \u201cPink Pussycat Brand<\/a>,\u201d \u201cHard AF<\/a>!\u201d and \u201cErectus Plus<\/a>\u201d are just some examples of pills that contain an unlisted mystery concoction of sildenafil and tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis. Both can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.<\/p>\n \u201cBusiness Pill<\/a>\u201d and \u201cBranch Manager for Men<\/a>\u201d contained yohimbine, which used to be used for erectile dysfunction until safer, more effective treatments came along. Yohimbe can cause severe high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and even heart attacks.<\/p>\n Men looking for a fix for erectile dysfunction might get more than they bargained for with gas station sex pills. stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just pills. In May, \u201cBoner Bears<\/a>\u201d chocolates were recalled for containing sildenafil. \u201cPink Pussycat<\/a>\u201d also offered an array of products, from pills to liquid medication, honey, and chocolate \u2014 all with a secret concoction of sildenafil and tadalafil.<\/p>\n Like the pill Harting tested, these medications often claim to contain some herbal ingredients and never mention they have serious medication inside.<\/p>\n By only listing herbal ingredients, the products fall into the supplement category, avoiding the watchful eye of the FDA. Regulators don\u2019t test or approve products before they go to the public, but may get involved if they falsely advertise.<\/p>\n The pull for gas station pills is obvious \u2014 skip the conversation with your doctor about sexual performance, and just pick up a solution right where you get your chips and soda.<\/p>\n