Warning - these erectile dysfunction and weight loss products are harmful

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Two products - one marketed for erectile dysfunction and the other for weight loss - have been found to contain high levels of potent medicinal ingredients that can cause serious adverse effects, hence the public has been advised to stop purchasing and consuming them.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Wednesday (April 27) issued an advisory for people to avoid AK-II Phenomenal King and Premium Pro S Flash which were being sold online. It said the products can cause strokes, heart attacks and other life-threatening conditions.

AK-II Phenomenal King is found to contain more than 60 times the usual prescribed dose of tadalafil, a prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction.

The product was marketed online for sexual enhancement, claiming to be "devoid of animal element, devoid of stimulants, devoid of side effects".

HSA said: "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 (painful and exceedingly long erections)."

Tadalafil can also pose serious risks to those with heart-related problems, as it can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure in those who are on heart medications, especially those containing nitrates.

HSA tested weight loss product Premium Pro S Flash after it received feedback from a consumer who experienced fast heart rate, insomnia and nausea after using it.

It found that the product contained high levels of sibutramine, a prescription-only weight loss drug that has been banned in Singapore since 2010 as it increases the risks of a heart attack and stroke.

HSA said that the continued intake of the product could lead to serious health consequences, including heart problems and central nervous system disorders such as psychosis and hallucinations.

It added that a consumer experienced extremely fast heart rate and became unconscious in 2019 after consuming the drug. She was resuscitated and required a defibrillator implant to help her heart function.

Premium Pro S Flash was advertised as a weight loss product with natural ingredients such as red ginseng, red sage, wild yam, and as a new version of Flash Slim.

Flash Slim was a harmful product which HSA had alerted the public to in March last year after it was found to contain sibutramine.

Both Premium Pro S Flash and AK-II Phenomenal King were sold on local e-commerce sites such as Carousell, Qoo10, Lazada and Shopee, as well as on social media platforms like Facebook. HSA said that it has worked with the platform administrators to remove the listings and has issued warnings to the sellers.

Consumers are advised to immediately stop taking the products and consult a doctor if they feel unwell or are concerned about their health.

The public is also reminded to be wary of products that deliver quick effects or carry exaggerated claims as they can contain potent ingredients that can be harmful.

HSA said: "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."

HSA said that all sellers and suppliers must stop selling AK-II Phenomenal King and Premium Pro S Flash immediately.

It added that it will not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions against anyone who sells or supplies products found to be adulterated with potent medicinal ingredients. Sellers and suppliers of the two products can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $10,000.