Unauthorized products may pose serious health risks

Cardarine (also known as GW501516 and GW1516), MK-677 and SR-9009 are not authorized in Canada for any use and may pose serious health risks. All clinical development activities to bring GW501516 to market were stopped when toxicities, including various cancers, were discovered following routine, long-term animal studies. The long-term effects in humans are unknown.

Dapoxetine is a drug used to treat premature ejaculation and is not authorized for sale in Canada. Side effects include fainting or loss of consciousness, dizziness, changes in blood pressure, blurred vision, seizures, headache, diarrhea and nausea. In particular, dapoxetine should not be used by individuals who have cardiac conditions, liver disease, a history of mania or bipolar disorder, or who are taking certain other medications, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors, antidepressants, and a number of other drugs and herbal products that can interact with dapoxetine.

"Poppers" is a slang term for products that contain alkyl nitrites. Despite being labelled for various uses such as leather cleaners, room odourizers or liquid incense, these products are inhaled or ingested by consumers for recreational purposes. Alkyl nitrites, such as amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite and isobutyl nitrite are prescription drugs and should be used only under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Products containing alkyl nitrites may pose serious risks, including death, depending on the amount used, how frequently they are used and how long they are used for, as well as the person's health and the other medications they may be taking. Since it is difficult to control how much is inhaled, people can accidentally overdose. Swallowing these products can lead to serious medical complications and may be fatal. People with certain medical conditions (including recent head trauma, bleeding into the head, glaucoma, or heart disease) and those taking certain medications (particularly drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction, and other drugs such as high blood pressure medications, certain migraine drugs, and high doses of aspirin) or illicit drugs are at particular risk.

Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) are drugs that are not authorized in Canada for any use and have not been reviewed by Health Canada for safety, effectiveness and quality. The use of bodybuilding products that contain SARMs can pose serious health risks such as heart attack, stroke and liver damage. The long-term effects on the body are unknown. Examples include andarine, ostarine (MK 2866), ligandrol (LGD-4033) myostine (YK-11), and testolone (RAD-140).

Sildenafil is a prescription drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and should be used only under the supervision of a health care professional. It should not be used by individuals taking any kind of nitrate drug (e.g. nitroglycerine) as it can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure. Individuals with heart problems are at increased risk of cardiovascular side effects such as heart attack, stroke, chest pain, high blood pressure and abnormal heartbeat. Other possible side effects include headache, facial flushing, indigestion, dizziness, abnormal vision, and hearing loss. Desmethyl carbodenafil and dithiodesmethyl carbodenafil, and Hydroxythiohomosildenafil are unauthorized substances that are similar to sildenafil and may pose similar health risks.

Tadalafil is a prescription drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and should be used only under the supervision of a health care professional. It should not be used by individuals taking any kind of nitrate drug (e.g., nitroglycerine) since it can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure. Individuals with heart problems are at increased risk of cardiovascular side effects such as heart attack, stroke, chest pain, high blood pressure and abnormal heartbeat. Other possible side effects include headache, facial flushing, indigestion, dizziness, abnormal vision, and hearing loss. Nortadalafil is an unauthorized substance that is similar to tadalafil and may pose similar health risks.

Yohimbine is a prescription drug and should be used only under the supervision of a health care professional. Yohimbine is derived from yohimbe, a bark extract. The use of yohimbine or yohimbe may result in serious adverse reactions particularly in people with high blood pressure, or heart, kidney or liver disease. Side effects include increased blood pressure and heart rate, anxiety, dizziness, tremors, headache, nausea and sleep disorders. It should not be used by children, or pregnant or nursing women.