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By Ally Jamah
Nairobi, Kenya: Unrealistic perceptions about sexual performance and addiction to pornography are among reasons pushing some men into use of sex-enhancement drugs.
Experts note with concern that the number of both young and elderly men abusing the drugs is rising fast as they seek to turn themselves into ‘lions in bed’.
Dr Ahmed Mohammed, the Director of Inspections at the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) explains that heightened “pressure to perform in the bedroom” is forcing some men to use every trick in the book to prove their manliness.
“No man wants to be dismissed as a weakling in bed because good sexual performance is perceived by society as the centre of manliness. So people decide to go the extra mile to prove a point to their partners, often with disastrous results,” he says.
Dr. Ahmed Kalebi, Managing Director of Pathologists Lancet network of laboratories isolates widespread habit of watching pornographic materials as one of the biggest drivers of using sex drugs.
Mobile phones
“Some men are trying to match the unrealistic performances they see in the movies not knowing that the films are acted,” he says.
Pornographic material is easily accessible through computers and mobile phones.
“In such X-rated films, it is possible to see a man having sex for hours, but this is not what happens in normal circumstances. Trying to copy such make-believe acts may lead a person to abuse sex drugs, exhausting himself beyond breaking point,” he says.
Dr Sultani Matendechero, a pharmacist based in Nairobi, observes that abuse of sex-enhancing drugs is rife among Kenyans. The abuse happens not only with fake and unregistered products, but also with genuine products.
“Many Kenyans with sexual dysfunctions often feel ashamed to disclose this fact to their doctors for them to be tested and treated. They choose to go to the backstreets to purchase dubious drugs and consume them secretly,” he says.
He warns that misusing sex drugs can cause serious side effects, including heart problems, and loss of sexual ability for good. Some abusers have suffered a condition called priapism, a persistent painful erection that lasts for hours, damaging the muscles of the penis.
Dr Ahmed Kalebi of Pathologists Lancet notes that before a sex-enhancement drug is prescribed to a person with erectile dysfunction, several tests must be conducted to determine its root cause. He explains that the dysfunction may be due to hormones, disease or even psychological, adding that not all cases require sex drugs.
“Kenyans who may have erectile dysfunction rush to the drugs thinking that they are the solution. The reality is that they are putting their lives in danger since the cause of their problem has not been diagnosed and treated,” he says.
Kalebi also warns against ‘herbal products’ being marketed aggressively as ‘potent’ solutions to boost sexual stamina and eliminate dysfunctions.
He faults those claiming to enhance the sexual capacities of women, saying such claims are baseless since sexual enhancement products for women are yet to be discovered.
Weak laws
He warns that the herbal drugs have not been tested and standardised and may damage one’s sexual and body organs irreversibly.
“Since the chemical contents are not calibrated, they might lead to toxicity or permanent damage to the penis. They are a hoax and Kenyans should avoid them if they care about their safety,” he says.
Dr Lawrence Nzumbu, PPB Director of Medicine Information, laments that current laws are too weak to fight the smuggling of unregistered or counterfeited sex drugs.
“When somebody exposes the life of a patient to risk by supplying a fake drug, then there is no difference with that thug on the street who kills people,” he says.
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