Lamar Odom Collapse: 'Herbal Viagra' Pills Not the Same with Viagra, FDA Warns
Lamar Odom's recent collapse has been linked with the over-the-counter pills called "herbal Viagra," a type of substance that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had previously warned about.
Former NBA player Lamar Odom was reportedly found unresponsive at a brothel in Nevada on Tuesday after he took a large dose of herbal Viagra, an over-the-counter drug used to enhance sexual performance. The FDA, Mayo Clinic, and other health authorities have already warned that these substances could have dangerous effects, according to WCVB.
Based on the Nye County Sheriff's statement, Odom took 10 herbal Viagra pills within just three days. The former NBA star reportedly purchased pills with the brands Reload and Libimax Plus from the shop in the Love Ranch brothel for $14.99 each. He is now hooked to life support and is being treated at a medical facility in Las Vegas, the Washington Post (WP) reports.
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"They say it's for erectile dysfunction. Basically, it gives you more energy. It's an over-the-counter speedy kind of product..," Love Ranch owner Dennis Hof said in an interview. "It's not a pharmaceutical, not a prescription drug."
Unlike the FDA-approved Viagra, which is a drug for erectile dysfunction, herbal Viagra and similar products are not regulated and can be procured even without prescription. Merchants who sell them online position the product as a more affordable Viagra alternative, but herbal Viagra is actually not the same with the original drug.
The FDA has previously warned that herbal Viagra has undeclared ingredients such as sildenafil that could interact with prescription cardiac drugs and lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. The agency instructed consumers to stop using Reload immediately and throw away the product, the report relays.
While Reload's package advises users to consult with a doctor if they have any cardiovascular diseases before using the drug, it does not mention sildenafil. Instead, the substances "Gingko Biloba" and "Panax Ginseng" are listed on the package, the report details.
As of now, the real cause of Lamar Odom's collapse is still undetermined, but his recent use of herbal Viagra is being considered as one of the main factors. His blood sample is still being analyzed, but it could take weeks before the results come out.
