Himalayan Viagra Haul Impounded

clinical testing has shown it to be completely ineffective

A huge amount of ‘Himalayan Viagra’ has been seized by the police in Kashmir as they try to crack down on the illegal trade in this rare fungal plant which is supposed to improve not only erectile function but also boost sexual desire. In all around £2 million worth of it weighing over 90kg was impounded by the Indian police and four men were arrested.

The police said that the four men were trying to smuggle the Himalayan Viagra into China where it can fetch a lot of money from Chinese men with erectile dysfunction problems. Unfortunately for these Chinese men it will have no effect on their erectile function at all because clinical testing has shown it to be completely ineffective. It may be that they think the Himalayan Viagra helps them in the bedroom but the reality is all it might do is boost their sexual confidence which is known to have a small placebo effect.

Even more worrying the however is that this Himalayan Viagra which goes by the local name of Yarshagumba has even been touted as a cure for cancer and a whole list of other illnesses. It is illegal to collect or trade in this fungus which grows at very high altitudes in the Himalayan Mountains. The four smugglers are likely to face jail terms of between seven years and life imprisonment for breaking the strict Indian Wildlife, Forest and Biodiversity laws.

There are literally thousands of versions of ‘natural Viagra’ all around the world. From oysters to the humble Maca root in South America but there is not one clinical trial which can prove a statistically significant improvement in erectile function when using them. The reason why these herbal remedies continue to thrive is firstly because impotent men are desperate and so they will try anything and secondly because the placebo effect of erectile dysfunction treatments can be seen in as many as 25 percent of men.