If you’ve been on social media, you may have heard the buzz about “honey packs.” These honey supplements are mixed with various ingredients and advertised to enhance male sexual performance and fix erectile dysfunction (ED, a condition in which you’re unable to achieve or maintain an erection). While you may be tempted to try honey packs for sexual health, experts recommend steering clear. Not only do honey packs lack scientific evidence to back up claims, but they’re also potentially dangerous.
Definition What Is a Honey Pack? Honey packs are supplements specifically designed for men. Sealed in individual packets, they contain honey and other natural ingredients, such as black ginger extract, vitamin C, ginseng, and maca root, says Seth D. Cohen, MD, MPH , a urologist at NYU Langone in New York City. Supplement manufacturers claim that this blend of ingredients offers benefits for men’s sexual health.
Potential Benefits Do Honey Packs Provide Benefits? Manufacturers advertise that the ingredients in their honey packs can boost sex drive, strengthen erections, raise testosterone (the primary male sex hormone), and improve stamina. But there’s little to no evidence to back up these claims. “If honey packs worked great, then men wouldn’t need U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved medications like sildenafil or tadalafil,” Dr. Cohen says. (Sildenafil and tadalafil are erectile dysfunction treatments .) Honey has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and has traditionally been used as a natural remedy for ED . It may have vasodilation effects (meaning it widens blood vessels to improve blood flow), helping men achieve and maintain erections. Research suggests that oral honey supplements may also increase testosterone.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629601bcaac-4ff8-42cd-a4aa-1e01b2fbe306 But the few studies that do exist were conducted on animals. “There is no research on humans showing that honey improves erections or libido,” says Justin Dubin, MD, a urologist at Memorial Healthcare System in Aventura, Florida. Evidence supporting the other natural ingredients found in honey packs isn’t much stronger. Ginseng, a popular additive, is an herb that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to enhance sexual performance.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762955cd06ed-6c1a-455a-9866-133067514cb6 But the authors of a systematic review that included nine studies on ginseng supplements for ED concluded that ginseng had a trivial effect.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762905e034d7-0269-4a4d-8728-e9cab817658c Maca root , made from a plant native to the Andes, is another common honey pack ingredient because it has been used for centuries in South America for its purported sexual benefits.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762932ec0aff-1686-4653-87a1-c1fe34a9faf1 Yet a research review reveals limited evidence for its effectiveness.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e05be890-17f4-4eb0-9bfa-1f3953fc8d2b “The claimed benefits of honey packs on sexual health are just that — claims,” says Dr. Dubin.
Risks Risks and Side Effects of Honey Packs Besides the lack of evidence that they work as advertised, honey packs pose a few risks. As supplements, honey packs aren’t closely regulated by the FDA. This means the FDA doesn’t approve supplements or verify their ingredients before they’re sold, so you can’t be sure that the product contains the ingredients listed on the label.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762938fd4665-7bb5-4e66-871d-7289b7ef58a9 In fact, the FDA discovered that many honey packs on the market illegally contained prescription ED drugs like sildenafil (Viagra) or tadalafil (Cialis), which must be used under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629887e99b0-f798-4e27-b725-3a2de54f4f59 Men who take these prescription medications via a honey pack can face severe consequences. Some men develop a priapism (erection lasting longer than four hours), leading to more permanent ED, warns Dubin. Visit a local emergency room if you have an erection that lasts longer than four hours, Cohen adds. Tadalafil can also be risky if taken with medications like nitrates , which are often prescribed for heart disease or chest pain . Because tadalafil and nitrates both dilate blood vessels, combining the two drugs can cause your blood pressure to drop to a dangerous low.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762924e76535-2b84-44e2-bdfb-8bcca9e27df3 Honey packs containing hidden tadalafil can also be risky for men with high blood pressure (hypertension) or liver or kidney disease . You may unintentionally take too much tadalafil, which can increase the risk of side effects such as headache and vision changes.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762924e76535-2b84-44e2-bdfb-8bcca9e27df3
Should You Use Should You Use Honey Packs? Honey packs aren’t worth the risk. “By purchasing products like honey packs, you are potentially doing more harm to your body than good,” Dubin says. “Most of these products contain unregulated, synthetic, and potentially dangerous medications and materials.” Instead of trying an unproven supplement, visit your doctor if you have low libido or erectile dysfunction. “Sexual health issues may be a sign that something else is going on,” he adds. Your healthcare provider can review your medical history and perform any necessary tests to determine the best medication or lifestyle approach to address your concerns.
The Takeaway Honey packs are supplements made of honey and other natural ingredients. They’re trending on social media, thanks to their alleged benefits for sexual performance. Honey packs lack scientific evidence to prove their effectiveness. In addition, many contain hidden ingredients that may pose health risks, especially for men with chronic health conditions. It’s always best to speak with your doctor about sexual health concerns.
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