Men Looking For Staying Power - Thursday 30, December-2004
by MELISSA WICKHAM
AN OLD YEAR’S night that lasts and lasts.

That’s what many Barbadian men are aiming for, if sales of various sexual enhancement products are anything to go by.

One health store is reporting sold out stocks of popular brands like Stamina Pro, which goes for $115 a bottle or $9.95 for two tablets along with its other best seller, Yohimbee.

Despite the hefty price tags, they are disappearing off shelves, indicating that men are sparing no cost to get that extra boost in the bedroom.

Manager of Nature’s Discount Store in DaCosta’s Mall, Orman Bynoe, said sales increased in recent weeks with the anticipated Old Year’s Night celebrations, although sexual enhancement products sold well throughout the year.

“We’ve sold out on one, Stamina Pro, and just brought it back in. That is one of the favourites – that along with the Yohimbee have been our biggest sexual enhancement sellers,” said Bynoe, who added the women were also joining in the ‘do’.

“Some of the women are trying the Vibrafem. That is a gel; they’re supposed to rub it on . . . and it should help with sexual arousal and orgasm. We have some women who actually come back with some pretty good reviews,” he said.

Another product which promises sexual prowess is the Cobra, also known as the snake. A combination of Yohimbee and horny goatweed, Cobra sells for over $43 for 60 capsules. Bynoe said they were almost sold out of that product also.

A number of other similar products have made their way onto the market. Drinks like Magnum tonic wine and Stud 101, the “Stay up tonic drink”, as well as Red Bull, have been hailed by some men as the “elixirs of life”.

However, some of the drinks contain alcohol and caffeine. Magnum, for instance, has an alcohol volume of 16.5 per cent while Stud 101 contains 2.5 per cent alcohol.

Bynoe believes men were buying up these products because of pressure placed on them by women, to perform.

“Most guys say they want to last longer and perform well. These products help to increase the blood flow to the penis,” he explained.

However, not everyone can use these products. People with a history of high blood pressure or heart problems should be careful since most of these sexual enhancers increased blood flow, Bynoe warned.

One gentleman, who swears by them, said he preferred them to drugs like Viagra and Cialis.

“You try those [Viagra and Cialis] when you’ve tried everything else and failed. If you use things like horny goatweed, male fuel and male power everyday, you can actually feel a surge of energy going through you, and the women say they can see the difference,” he said.

Another convert quipped: “Pills like Viagra are for men with a real problem, but drinks like Magnum give you some extra fuel.”

However, urologist Dr Jerry Emtage said most of these so-called stamina drinks were all stimulants and their erectile potential was somewhat questionable.

“If you have no problems, those things are not going to boost you. It is all in the mind,” he said.

Emtage said there were some herbal products which worked but he warned they were supposed to be used with discretion.

“There is no documentation that women are pressuring them to perform. Maybe the problem is they’re trying to perform with two or three women,” said Emtage.