Health experts are condemning a new trend circulating on TikTok that encourages men to eat honey packets that may contain an erectile dysfunction drug before having sex.
The product, called Royal Honey VIP, has recently gone viral for its reported effect on sexual performance. In one TikTok, which received over 400,000 views, a student at Arizona State University highlighted the substance's use on campus, joking that "a man never reveals his secrets."
Another student even claimed he had taken four in one night, prompting the interviewer to respond: "That's not normal, is it?"
However, health professionals have warned against using the product, as it reportedly contains a drug that could interfere with common medication. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously issued a public notification on Royal Honey VIP, in 2018, saying it contained "potentially harmful hidden ingredients" that could lead to dangerously low blood pressure.
Newsweek contacted Shopaax, the manufacturer of the honey, for comment outside of normal working hours.
In the FDA notice, it said lab analysis revealed that Royal Honey VIP packets contained tadalafil, which is an ingredient in an "FDA-approved prescription drug for erectile dysfunction." It apparently isn't disclosed on any packaging or promotion of the supplement.
The FDA said: "This undeclared ingredient may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.
"These products are typically promoted for sexual enhancement, weight loss, and body building and are often represented as being 'all natural.' The FDA is unable to test and identify all products marketed as dietary supplements that have potentially harmful hidden ingredients.
"Consumers should exercise caution before purchasing any product in the above categories."
Newsweek contacted the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research for more information about the possible impact of Royal Honey VIP via email.
In 2022, the administration warned against similar Kingdom Honey products that contained sildenafil, which is the active ingredient in Viagra. That was also produced by Shopaax.
Like with the current TikTok trend, the FDA said that consuming it could interfere with nitrates and lower blood pressure below safe levels.
In both cases, the organization recommended that "consumers should report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program."
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