[Top: Zhong Hua Niu Bian, an illegal sex drug. Such pills are easily available along many streets in Geylang.]

By Ng Wan Ching

BEFORE the pain, there was the promise of pleasure. But, as he found out later, the little pleasure he got wasn't worth the pain of a four-day stay in hospital and the risk of losing his life.

The 62-year-old odd-job labourer, who gave his name only as Mr Wong, was like the many men who persist in taking illegal sex pills.

They do so despite news of four men dying from taking pills such as Power 1 Walnut, and warnings by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

In addition to the four deaths, the last five months have seen six more men dying from taking such pills, bringing the total number of deaths since January to 10.

Why so stubborn?

The top myths seem to be:

-Look at all my friends who are taking these drugs. They're still all right. 

-I'm healthy, it won't happen to me. 

-I've been taking them for some time and I feel all right.

Mr Wong feels foolish now, but a few months ago, he was all excited when his friend passed him a sex pill.

Never mind that he was aware of the health risks.

Mr Wong said in Mandarin: 'My friend said this pill would make me more erect, and last longer in bed.'

From 1 Jan to 16 May, there were 131 cases of men falling ill due to these products (42 confirmed cases, 89suspected cases).

Mr Wong had wanted to take the pill before having sex with his wife, who is 60 years old. That night, he popped the $1 pill in anticipation of a good time.

It wasn't all that he'd expected.

'I was just a little harder than I was before. And it did not last that much longer. But we were happy,' said the father of three grown-up children.

The next day, he was not so happy.

He felt dizzy and nauseous.

Worried, he went to Changi General Hospital, where he was told he had very low blood pressure.

He told the doctors that he had taken the illegal drug.

Glibenclamide - a drug used to treat diabetic patients - is found in illegal aphrodisiac products.

Tests conducted by the HSA have shown that levels of glibenclamide in certain illegal products can be as high as 90 mg per tablet.

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This is six times higher than the recommended doses used to treat diabetic patients.

When consumed by healthy, non-diabetic patients in high doses, glibenclamide causes severe lowering of blood sugar.

This can lead to serious adverse effects such as seizures and coma.

Said Mr Wong: 'I felt very foolish at the hospital. I risked my life for a little bit of pleasure.

'I didn't want to talk about it to anyone at first, but later, I thought I better at least tell the friend who passed me the pills.'

He described his symptoms and his hospital stay to his friend.

'My friend got a shock. He threw away all his pills. He said he would not buy them any more.

'The problem is that they are easily available from China nationals along many streets in Geylang and elsewhere,' said Mr Wong.

Each packet of four pills costs only $4.

'They are very cheap and the temptation among us men is always there to take it so that we can have a better time,' said Mr Wong.

But he won't be taking them anymore.

'I value my life more,' he said.

THEY RISK LIVES, BASED ON MYTHS

SINCE the beginning of the year, when the first reports of adverse reactions associated with men taking Power 1 Walnut first appeared, HSA has conducted raids and operations with other local enforcement agencies.

Over 500,000 units of illegal aphrodisiac products at an estimated street value of more than $1 million were seized within the 10-month period.

Said Ms Chan Cheng Leng, Director of HSA's Pharmacovigilance Branch: 'If there is no demand for these illegal sexual enhancement products, the supply chain for these products will naturally dry up.

'Consumers have to take responsibility and not gamble with their health by buying or taking these harmful products. There is no guarantee at all that any of these products is safe.'

'I'M STILL OK'

MYTH

'It's safe to continue taking the pills I bought from the back lanes because I've been taking them for some time and I have not felt sick.'

FACT

Illegal health products are likely to be manufactured in clandestine setups without any quality checks. Individual pills sold in the same bottle or packet could contain wrong amounts of ingredients or wrong ingredients. They may be contaminated or adulterated with harmful and toxic substances.

'FRIEND STILL OK'

MYTH

'My friend recommended these pills to me. He seemed very healthy even after taking the pills, so I thought it was safe for me to take them too.'

FACT

What appears to be 'working' for someone may not necessarily work for another. There is no quality control in the manufacture of these illegal products. This means that the composition of each batch, bottle and even individual pill can be inconsistent.

'TOO HEALTHY TO BE HARMED'

MYTH

'I am generally a healthy person so taking these pills should not harm me.'

FACT

Consumers need to be mindful that illegal health products can contain potent medicinal drugs, which can cause harm. For example, high doses of glibenclamide - a drug used to treat diabetic patients - can cause seizures and coma in healthy individuals and can lead to death.

This story was first published in The New Paper on Nov 1, 2008.