Manufacturers of a Zambian energy drink – Natural Power SX – have been ordered to stop producing and distributing the drink amid claims that it can cause men prolonged and uncontrollable erections.
It wasn’t someone in the country itself who initially complained. According to Lusaka Times, the ceased production of the drinks was sparked by a letter, sent on December 28, from the Uganda National Drug Authority (NDA). The body says it tested samples of the drink after a Ugandan customer complained of constant sweating and an erection lasting nearly six hours.
NDA found that the drink contained sildenafil citrate, usually used to treat erectile dysfunction.
Vikas Kapoor, a spokesperson for the drink’s manufacturer, Revin Zambia Limited, told the BBC’s Newsday that as far as he knew, the drink didn’t contain any drugs.
The Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority, the Ndola City Council, and the Zambia Bureau of Standards released a joint statement saying they were investigating the matter and have sent the product for testing.
A source identified by Lusaka Times as a Revin Zambia Limited company insider, however, has cried conspiracy, saying the drink was being targeted by Zambian businesses threatened by the company’s growth.
“This Uganda incident is part of a grand plan to shut us down. We know our enemies have been planning for over three months to close us down and discrediting our most popular product is one of their plans,” the source said.
According to an article in the Zambian publication, test results carried out by the Zambia Bureau of Standards, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, the Malawi Bureau of Standards, and the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) have shown the drink to be safe for consumption.
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)
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