Lamar Odom, 35-year-old former NBA star and to be former husband of reality star Khloe Kardashian, is currently on life support in a hospital in Las Vegas after being found unconscious during his stay at a brothel. It has been reported by the police that during his stay, Odom had been using cocaine as well as had taken approximately eight to ten pills of an herbal Viagra supplement.

The owner of the brothel, Dennis Hof, claims that Odom bought the herbal Viagra pills from their shop. Apparently the herbal Viagra is sold there and at a number of convenient stores and gas stations in the area. Hof says they have been selling the supplement since it came on the market and that never before have any of their guest had a problem with it. It is unclear whether Odom’s collapse is due to the herbal Viagra, cocaine use, mixture of both, or some other unknown condition. Odom has struggled with drug abuse in the past. Although it was never confirmed what drugs he had a problem with, it seems as though his drug problems are related to his pending divorce with Khloe Kardashian, as well as his absence from the NBA.

The herbal Viagra supplement is called ‘Reload’. It is marketed as a sexual performance enhancement pill. According to Hof, “It’s an herbal supplement that gives you energy. They say it’s for erectile dysfunction. Basically, it gives you more energy. It’s an over-the-counter speedy kind of product … the pill form of an energy drink.” He also said, “It’s not a pharmaceutical, not a prescription drug.”

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Reload can be dangerous. The FDA warned about Reload about two years ago stating that it “contains a hidden drug ingredient” that could lead to dangerous reactions. Reload has been marketed on its packaging has an “herbal alternative” to Viagra or a “nutritional supplement.” However, the FDA stated that Reload actually is Viagra, just without regulations or medical oversight.

According the issued warning by the FDA in 2013, “FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that ‘Reload’ contains sildenafil, the active ingredient in the FDA-approved prescription drug Viagra, used to treat erectile dysfunction. This undeclared ingredient may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs such as nitroglycerin and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.” The FDA also noted that “Consumers should stop using this product immediately and throw it away.” The packaging of Reload does not say anything about containing sildenafil. It does however mention in its ingredients that it contains Gingko Biloba and Panax Ginseng.

Herbal supplements can be dangerous. It is important for people to understand that these types of herbal supplements for sexual enhancement, increased energy, increased muscle mass, weight loss, and a number of other conditions are not regulated by the FDA. They are simply not subject to being tested and approved the same way that prescription drugs are. The herbal supplement market is a somewhat underground market because we often do not know what is actually being included in their ingredients. Many times the ingredients can raise or lower your blood pressure, increase heart rate, interfere with other medications, or interfere in some other way that can cause serious and potentially life-threatening side effects or complications. Many people often purchase these ‘herbal’ or ‘natural’ supplements after reading reviews of them on the internet. However, this is unsafe. You should always discuss taking any type of medication, natural or prescription, with a doctor or healthcare practitioner first.