Liviro3, Zencore Tabs could be dangerous, Health Canada warns
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 | 2:53 PM ET
CBC News
Related
External Links
(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window)
Two natural health supplements touted as sexual enhancement aids — Liviro3 and Zencore Tabs — may lead to serious heart problems and other side-effects, Health Canada warned.
The agency said it issued the warning because the capsules of Liviro3 contains the prescription medication Tadalafil, while Zencore Tabs contain an "undeclared pharmaceutical ingredient" similar to Tadalafil.
Tadalafil can lead to severe cardiac problems in people who have cardiovascular problems such as hypertension, or those who have had a serious heart arrhythmia, heart attack or stroke.
It can also cause side-effects including headaches, flushing, vomiting, diarrhea, and blood in the urine, among others.
Tadalafil is also not recommended for patients who are taking any type of nitrate drug therapy as it can cause potentially life-threatening hypotension.
Though Liviro3 is not authorized for sale in Canada, it is sold on the internet and Health Canada warned that travellers may bring it into the country.
Ebek Inc., the manufacturer of Liviro3, has recalled the product and has also said there is counterfeit Liviro3 on the market, warning consumers not to purchase any products under the same name.
Zencore Tabs is also not authorized for sale in Canada and the Canadian importer is currently recalling the product.
Health Canada advises consumers to only buy prescription drugs with a prescription from a doctor who has examined them in person, using a licensed pharmacy where they have an established relationship.
It also recommends that consumers look for an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), a Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) on the label.
These numbers indicate that the products have been assessed by Health Canada for safety, effectiveness and quality.
Share Tools
Top News Headlines
- Refugee reforms include fingerprints, no appeals for some
- New, tougher reforms to refugee legislation that hasn't yet come into force are already drawing fire from critics who say they give Canada's immigration minister too much power and risk the lives of claimants. more »
- Underwear bomber sentenced to life in prison
- A Nigerian man who tried to blow up an international flight near Detroit on behalf of al-Qaida has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. more »
- 7 MPs and their fiery quotes
- The election of a majority government was seen by some as a chance for less acrimonious politics on Parliament Hill. But the past week has seen its fair share of inflammatory rhetoric on both sides of the House. more »
- Bully victim's mother tells of 'suicide box'
- A mother who hired a bodyguard to protect her bullied daughter says the girl had prepared a "suicide box" in case the violence became unbearable. more »
Latest Health News Headlines
- Alcohol problem hits parents of 1 in 10 U.S. kids
- About 7.5 million children in the U.S. live with a parent who has struggled with alcohol in the past year, a report finds. more »
- B.C. Botox injections spark health investigations
- Federal and provinical health authorities say they will take action after CBC News revealed two Vancouver-area clinics were offering Botox injections that would be administered by people not licensed to carry out the procedure. more »
- Dandelion tea touted as possible cancer killer
- Researchers hope to test dandelion tea on patients at a Windsor, Ont., clinic after it was found the roots killed cancer cells in the laboratory. more »
- Toxin cleanser MMS warning issued in Canada
- The supplement MMS, which claims to cleanse the body of toxins, may cause serious health problems, Health Canada warns despite the distributor's defence of the product. more »
FEATURED HEALTH
- Dog kills newborn in Alberta community
- Montreal telemarketers in fraud case still making calls
- Refugee reforms include fingerprints, no appeals for some
- Bully victim's mother tells of 'suicide box'
- Honduras prison fire is world's deadliest
- Degrassi's Wheels death announced, 5 years later
- Nortel collapse linked to Chinese hackers
- 2 small earthquakes rattle Vancouver Island
- Barefoot girl's icy trek not blamed on babysitter

