Herbal supplements have never been a widespread form of treatment, especially for erectile dysfunction. However, the immense popularity of Viagra has caused the manufacturers of such products to boost their marketing efforts.

On the other hand, most of these herbal supplements have never undergone the rigorous testing which is a must for drugs that have been approved by the FDA. More importantly, there are no federal agencies which check these products for the quality of their ingredients. Therefore, it is possible that the products are not they claim to be. In some cases, the product might not have the ingredient advertised. In other cases, the ingredients might not even be effective or safe in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. This is certainly a problem for consumers.

Changes in the Herbal Supplements Business

The good thing is that the industry for herbal products is finally undergoing changes. The American Botanical Council, a nonprofit organization, has begun to investigate these supplements and test them for their effectiveness and safety. They are doing what the FDA cannot. They are trying to regulate the herbal products in the market themselves.

It is not always possible to determine what a particular product can do to the user. As for doctors, they tend to be relieved when the patients use a product that has at least some useful data behind them. After all, these products are not approved by the FDA like the drugs at Canadian Pharmacy. The fact about such products is that most users do not feel that they are effective in treating ED. As a result, doctors are hesitant in recommending them.

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Unlike the ingredients present in erectile dysfunction medications from Canadian pharmacy, the ingredients in herbal supplements are not tested for their effectiveness. Medications tend to be thoroughly tested by the FDA for their safety as well.

Herbal Products

The Regulation of Herbal Products

While the supplements do not need to go rigorous testing before being sold, the fact is that they still need to be regulated a bit. There are strict rules in place for the claims being made by them. Any claims made for selling these products must always be truthful. They should not mislead the customers even though they are not regulated by federal agencies. The working of these products must be supported by scientific evidence.

The Federal Trade Commission can charge the manufacturers whose products were sold with false or misleading claims. Unsubstantiated claims can draw the ire of the commission leading to severe financial penalties.

As for the Food&Drug Administration, it is likely that new regulations will soon be issued. These regulations will be stricter with the herbal products being manufactured. This will bring the quality control in place for supplement manufacturing to be better. They will not be required to follow and meet the exact standards that are currently being enforced for foods.

The Commonly Used Ingredients

There are many herbs which are being used in herbal products that are marketed for treating erectile dysfunction. Some of the commonly used ones are listed below.

  • L-arginine;
  • Ginseng;
  • Gingko Biloba;
  • Pomegranate;
  • Horny Goat Weed.

While common, the fact remains that scientific studies have not yet been done on these herbal ingredients. Therefore, it is not possible to conclusively determine how good or useful they are in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. These products do have effects but the extent of their effectiveness and possible side-effects if any are still unknown.