I heard an ad on the
radio today for some
herbal supplement for men that's supposed to increase
libido. One of the
sales pitch lines went something like this:
"And it's all
natural, so it doesn't have any
side effects!"
Where the hell did that come from? All natural products have no side effects?
Wormwood,
psychedelic mushrooms, and
poison oak are all natural, and they all have some pretty harsh side effects. Even
aspirin, which is derived from willow bark, can cause
ulcers and even death in kids under 18 years of age. Another of my favorite lines from this particular ad:
"No chemicals!"
What is that supposed to mean? Everything is a chemical. Even water is a
chemical. And finally, the real doozy:
"Studies
suggest that the active
ingredient in SuperLibido (or whatever the product was) helps release pent-up
testosterone!"
First of all, "studies suggest" is not sufficient evidence. The
FDA may allow such claims, but any intelligent person won't be convinced by them. Second, if this product truly does release "pent-up testosterone" (which I highly doubt), then it will almost surely have some incredible side effects -- basically the same as taking
steroids. Finally, anyone who's having problems with their libido needs to see a
doctor before taking anything. Diminished libido can be the result of a myriad of physical and mental conditions, some of which can be harmful or even deadly. Bottom line: Herbal supplements can be very helpful. In some cases, they can even prevent or treat
disease. But everyone needs to be
wary of the claims that any company makes about its product -- be it herbal supplements,
pharmaceutical drugs, or even that "home
drycleaning system".