Consumption of natural plant-based aphrodisiacs, a real public health problem in Guinea [Mamadou Oury Sidibé]

http://Actuguinee.org / If Guinea, through the Ministry of Health, has significantly succeeded in the fight against the illicit trade of pharmaceutical products, it should be noted that there is an emergence of the traditional medicine sector and so-called “natural” products, under the watchful eye of everyone.

Among these traditional medicines are aphrodisiacs and sexual health products, the uncontrolled manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of which by unauthorized health services certainly pose a serious threat to public health. Given the urgency of addressing this issue, as well as the extent and seriousness of the problem, I will first address the issue of traditional aphrodisiacs and other sexual health products in this article, before soon discussing the integration of traditional medicine into the Guinean healthcare system.

Anyway, no one can escape the marketing of aphrodisiac or sexual health products these days, whether it be through social networks, public spaces, or through roaming merchants who sometimes even visit government offices. We are regularly exposed to messages from these “businessmen” growing in our country, messages that go against modesty and our customs flooding everywhere on social networks, public roads, and local radio stations: “Sexual weakness, premature ejaculation, Azoospermia, Infertility, sexually transmitted diseases, hemorrhoids…”, “Enlarge your third leg or Develop Sex”, “women like it long and big”, “she will scream all night”, “you can do it four times a night”!!! To convince skeptical customers, the authors hypocritically add that total healing is guaranteed and the products are 100% natural and WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS!

The choice of some citizens to purchase aphrodisiacs in the markets without consulting healthcare facilities is certainly influenced by a number of socio-cultural, environmental, and psychological factors.

Factors favoring this include:

First of all, people suffering from sexual dysfunction are generally dominated by socio-cultural perceptions. They consider any problems with the genital organs to be “shameful” or highly “confidential”. This tendency to hide from others would encourage them to turn to traditional healers or simply aphrodisiac vendors in the hope of solving the problem definitively without even exposing it to a doctor, in the utmost discretion.

People’s predisposition to self-medicate paves the way for entrepreneurs looking to easily and often illegally make a living by distributing products that could be harmful to health. The abundance of all varieties of aphrodisiacs on our markets indicates enough expression of demand, or at least need, even consumption of these products by a significant proportion of the population. Apparently, the aphrodisiac and sexual health products business is thriving in Guinea!

In addition to this, there is also limited access to healthcare services, especially those related to male sexual health, with a high concentration of urology specialists in the capital.

The near absence of the State in controlling the manufacturing, importation, and commercialization of approved aphrodisiac and sexual health products in Guinea is a key factor. You just need to visit our various markets to see the blatant and aggressive display of aphrodisiac products with packaging featuring images of the male external organ, large buttocks, and large breasts of women; once again, in violation of modesty and our socio-cultural and religious standards.

Finally, some men are constantly seeking sexual performance, or even over-performance, with their sexual partners. The complex of some men feeling inferior to women and the lack of communication between couples in an environment where seeking help from a sexologist or psychologist (both rare in Guinea) is little known, are also significant factors.

However, taking medication for such precious organs as the male genital system without any prescription established by a healthcare professional could have serious risks and consequences for public health.

Public Health Consequences Demonstrated Elsewhere

For example, in neighboring Ivory Coast, the Ivorian Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority (AIRP) publicly issued a note on Thursday, April 11, 2024, regarding the suspension of the manufacture and commercialization of products known as “Original 100% Natural Attoté” and “Peace congnons-mousso-yako”.
Source: https://24heureinfo.com/

The AIRP indicates that quality control tests conducted by the National Public Health Laboratory (LNSP) of the Ivory Coast on samples of the aforementioned aphrodisiac products revealed significant amounts of SILDENAFIL in these products. It emphasizes that the “consumption of these counterfeit products, overdosed with sildenafil, can cause headaches and dizziness. In hypertensive patients or those at cardiovascular risk, strokes, heart attacks, or even sudden death may occur.” In conclusion, the AIRP urges people to refrain from consuming “Original 100% Natural Attoté” and “Peace congnons-mousso-yako and their derivatives” due to the risks to public health.

In Guinea, without publicly available studies establishing a causal relationship between the consumption of these aphrodisiacs and the occurrence of certain cardiovascular diseases on one hand, and the lack of laboratory analysis of aphrodisiac products on the market on the other hand, it would not be prudent for me to discuss the risks and dangers faced by consumers without factual evidence. However, doctors in general, particularly specialists in endocrinology, gastroenterology, nephrology, urology, cardiology, and neurology, regularly warn their patients during consultations about the use of traditional medicines, especially decoctions or macerates to be taken orally.

In addition to the risks and consequences scientifically highlighted by the AIRP in Ivory Coast, one can also consider the problems of addiction due to the abusive or prolonged consumption of aphrodisiacs to enhance sexual performance. Hospital treatment for side effects and other consequences also contributes to impoverishing households, as they mostly bear healthcare expenses or face deaths.

It is time to act or continue to suffer!

Interventions should be followed at various levels to contain the threat and limit the consequences of using scientifically unapproved natural aphrodisiacs on public health. These interventions should include:

✓ Conducting studies on samples of aphrodisiac products and other sexual health products available on the parallel market in Guinea. It is crucial to establish scientifically irrefutable evidence of the harmful or beneficial effects of these products to make appropriate decisions. Just by observing the market flooded with aphrodisiac products and derivatives in all forms: vaginal tightening gels, ointments to enlarge buttocks or breasts, creams to lengthen and enlarge the penis, tablets to last more than three hours in bed, etc., one naturally wonders if the use of these products is not dangerously affecting the health of consumers. Prohibiting or simply cracking down on the commercialization of these products without evidence of the danger of their use would mean a crackdown against the interests of sellers and the “happiness” of customers who believe they will find joy in them. Hence the imperative need for scientifically approved results.

✓ Strengthening regulation and control over the manufacturing, importation, and commercialization of aphrodisiacs and so-called natural derivatives in Guinea. If Guinea was previously considered a transit and distribution center for counterfeit drugs, today it seems to excel in the importation and distribution of aphrodisiac and sexual health products, which currently escape regulation and control by competent authorities. Just as successes have been observed in cleaning up the market of illicit drugs, it is equally critical to focus on other categories of medicines like aphrodisiacs and their derivatives that could harm public health.

✓ Collaboration with traditional medicine practitioners and Western medicine practitioners to discuss their roles and responsibilities in patient care. Positive results on natural products should be regulated and accepted in the Guinean market. This approach would benefit everyone: an integrated and accessible healthcare sector, traditional healers and distributors engaging in income-generating activities, and populations accessing good quality health products.

✓ Raising awareness among populations about the risks and consequences of scientifically unapproved natural aphrodisiacs and derivatives.

Information, education, and communication will certainly help populations become aware and make appropriate decisions at the right time, especially to consult a healthcare professional for sexual problems as they would for headaches or abdominal pain.

In the meantime, let each of us take care of our health and consult a healthcare professional in case of sexual dysfunction or any other need related to our sexuality. Let us remember the quote from Jacques CARON: “By wanting to win everything, we can lose everything; but by being too cautious, we can regret it!”

Mamadou Oury SIDIBE (PMP), Social Worker

Health Services Manager – CESAG-Dakar / Phone: +224 622 147 952