Professor Victor Wutor, Vice President of the Ghana College of Pharmacists, has called for stringent regulation of what he calls “Ghana’s Dangerous Aphrodisiac Craze”. The move, he said, would help prevent a looming crisis of “broken bodies”.
In an exclusive interview with The Chronicle, in which Prof. Wutor shared extensive research into such substances, he said the surge in demand is fuelled by emerging health and social trends.
He said Lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension are causing more cases of erectile dysfunction (ED), while the “silence” surrounding sex and mental health at home and in religious spaces drive men toward roadside herbalists, instead of clinics.
Every evening in Ghana’s busiest hubs at Makola, Kejetia and Circle, the air fills with the shouts of hawkers promising “power” in a bottle.
Substances like Vigour Man, African Black Ant and various gin-soaked herbal concoctions are sold openly as miracle tonics for virility.
What was once a quiet reliance on traditional roots has exploded into a multi-million-cedi informal industry that experts warn is a ticking public health time bomb.
The Vice President of the Ghana College of Pharmacists noted that the ease of grabbing a sachet at a bus stop without prescription makes these unregulated products the first choice for many.
Professor Wutor categorized this booming market into three layers: traditional preparations of roots and barks like alligator pepper; over-the-counter “bitters” often containing over 40% alcohol and imported supplements.
He expressed worry about the many supposedly “pure herbal” pills that are secretly spiked with pharmaceuticals like sildenafil (Viagra), which are unlabelled and dangerous to unsuspecting consumers.
He said the core danger lies in the lack of standardization. When 5 to 15 different plant parts are infused in high-proof gin, it creates a “chemical cocktail” with no standard dose.
Prof. Wutor warns that ‘Bottle A’ from one vendor is rarely the same as ‘Bottle B’ from another, leading to unpredictable and often life-threatening effects.
Key risks identified in his research include dangerous drug-herb interactions, saying common ingredients like moringa and ginger can lower blood sugar and blood pressure.
According to him, if a user is already on diabetic or hypertensive medication, they risk fainting or severe hypoglycemia.
He also disclosed that ingredients like yohimbine combined with alcohol can trigger heart palpitations and dangerous spikes in blood pressure.
The renowned Pharmacist noted that the toll on vital organs is a major concern as the liver and kidneys have to process a “triple load” of alcohol, multiple herbal toxins and often hidden painkillers like paracetamol added to mask hangovers.
“Over time, this “power” hunt can lead to liver cirrhosis and chronic kidney damage”, he said.
He also pointed to what he described as the most hazardous trend where enhancement pills are washed down with beer or “kakai”, explaining that both alcohol and ED medications are vasodilators and that combining them can cause blood pressure to crash suddenly, leading to heart attacks or strokes.
This practice, he said, also increases the risk of priapism, an erection lasting over four hours that can cause permanent tissue damage.
To protect the public, Prof. Wutor and the Ghana College of Pharmacists are advocating to “preserve the knowledge but professionalise the practice”.
They are calling for systematic testing of herbal products, structured training for herbalists on dosages and side effects, and comprehensive labeling that warns against mixing these products with alcohol.
The Pharmacist urged consumers to verify that any product they buy carries a valid FDA registration number and as well treat any “instant results” claims with extreme caution.
Professor Wutor emphasizes that legitimate ED medications should only be obtained from licensed pharmacies where patients can receive proper counseling and screening.
“The herbs are not our enemy. Ignorance is,” Professor Wutor noted and cautioned that “true strength is not determined by how much one can drink or how long they last, but by knowing exactly what is being put into the body and refusing to let an unregulated, cheap bottle decide one’s health fate”.
By Moahammed T. Kataba
