“Herbal” Coffee Recalled For Containing Same Ingredients As Viagra, Cialis

A “natural” coffee promises to improve a drinker’s sexual desire and stamina through the use of three herbs. But it’s now being recalled after Food and Drug Administration tests found that the coffee — which has been linked to one death — actually contains the same active ingredients found in prescription erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra and Cialis.

The FDA announced Thursday that Caverflo.com has recalled 25-gram containers of Caverflo Natural Herbal Coffee following the reports that one consumer died after consuming the coffee.

Tests conducted by the FDA confirmed the product contained sildenafil and tadalafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis, respectively.

While the product is advertised for use as a natural male enhancement, its website does not mention the active ingredients.

“Caverflo Natural Herbal Coffee is an absolutely all herbal beverage containing instant coffee and three herbs – Tongkat Ali, Maca, and Guarana,” the site states. “These Herbs grow wild in the jungles of Malaysia and have been used for centuries by the people of Asia and South America to greatly improve sexual health, libido, and overall wellness in men and women.”

The failure to declare the two active ingredients is actually quite serious, according to the FDA.

In fact, sildenafil and tadalafil can interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, like nitroglycerin. If this occurs, those consuming the coffee could experience dangerously low blood sugar levels.

Men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease often take nitrates, the FDA notes, putting them at higher risk of adverse reactions if they are unaware of the active ingredients’ presence.

In addition to the undeclared sildenafil and tadalafil, Caverflo says the product may also contain undeclared milk, which could lead to severe allergic reactions.

So far, Caverflo says it has received a report of an individual who died after consuming the coffee. It’s unclear if the death was related to the active ingredients or undeclared milk.

The recall covers Caverflo Natural Herbal Coffee sold between Aug. 2016 and Feb. 2017 with the UPC code 9555671709994.

Caverflo says it is currently notifying customers via email and urges those that have the products at home to stop using it and contact their doctor.

Customers with questions about the product or recall can contact the company at 214-803-4652 or coffeekingb@yahoo.com.

Additionally, adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of the coffee may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail, or by fax.

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist