Every lot of a men’s supplement sold in some GNC franchise stores is being recalled because GNC’s own testing found hidden prescription drugs inside that can drop blood pressure to dangerous levels.
Story Highlights
- On Saturday, October 24, the FDA posted a recall of every lot of Ultimate Forza Male Supplement capsules.
- GNC’s outside lab testing found sildenafil and tadalafil, the drugs in Viagra and Cialis, plus dapoxetine, an antidepressant the FDA has never approved.
- The capsules were sold only in certain independently owned GNC franchise stores, from 2017 through October 1, 2026.
- No injuries have been reported. Buyers can return the product to a GNC store for a full refund.
FDA Recall Targets Hidden Drug Ingredients In Supplement
Tonight We Ride, LLC, a supplement maker based in Lakeville, Minnesota, is recalling all lots of its Ultimate Forza Male Supplement. The company says testing found sildenafil, tadalafil and dapoxetine in the capsules, and none of them are listed on the label. The reason this matters is simple: those drugs can drop blood pressure to dangerous levels in men who take common heart medicines. Because the drugs are hidden, the company’s notice says, the capsules count as unapproved drugs whose safety has never been shown.
The recall covers two packages. One is the Multi-Capsule box of ten blue capsules, item 810208, with the bar code number (UPC) 868592000002. The other is the Single Pack of one capsule, item 810222, UPC 868592000040.
The problem came to light when GNC’s third-party lab testing, meaning checks done by an outside lab, found the drugs. Sales then stopped, franchise stores pulled the product off the shelves and set it aside, and customers were told to stop using it. According to the notice, the capsules were sold through certain independently owned GNC franchise stores across the country from 2017 through October 1, 2026. They were not sold in GNC’s company-owned stores.
Why Hidden Drugs In “Supplements” Are A Real Health Risk
Sildenafil and tadalafil are prescription drugs for erectile dysfunction. The recall notice warns they can interact with nitrates, heart drugs such as nitroglycerin that many men take for chest pain, and push blood pressure down to dangerous levels. Men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrates. A man who buys an “all natural” capsule has no way to know he is mixing the two.
The third drug, dapoxetine, belongs to the same family as many common antidepressants. It is not approved in the United States. The notice says drugs in this family have been shown to raise the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teens and young adults.
This is not the first time hidden drugs have turned up in products sold as supplements. A study of FDA warnings from 2007 through 2016 counted 776 supplements with hidden drug ingredients. Nearly half of them were sold to boost sexual performance, and sildenafil was the drug found most often in that group. About one in five carried more than one hidden drug, which can stack up side effects.
What Was Sold, Where, And How Consumers Can Respond
Anyone who has Ultimate Forza at home should stop taking it. Opened or unopened, it can go back to any GNC store for a full refund. Bring the receipt, or the phone number or email tied to the GNC loyalty account used to buy it. Questions go to GNC Customer Service at 1-877-462-4700 or [email protected].
A man who took these capsules and feels dizzy, faint or unwell should call his doctor, and anyone with heart trouble or who takes nitrates should talk with a doctor even without symptoms. This article is not a substitute for medical advice. The FDA also asks people to report any bad reaction to its MedWatch program, its system for tracking problems with drugs and supplements.
Accountability, Limited Government, And Practical Safeguards
Shoppers who read labels have every right to trust what the label says. A capsule with hidden prescription drugs is not a simple herb. It is a drug taken with no doctor and no known dose. In this case, the retailer’s own testing caught the problem and the recall went out through the FDA. That is the kind of targeted check that protects honest buyers without burying honest businesses.
A few habits help. Be extra careful with male performance products sold as “all natural,” since this group has a long record of hidden drugs. Choose brands that publish their test results. Check the FDA’s recall page, or sign up for its alerts, before buying something new.
Bottom Line For Readers
Every lot of Ultimate Forza Male Supplement is under recall because three drugs were hidden inside, and the capsules were sold in certain GNC franchise stores from 2017 to October 1, 2026. The danger is greatest for men who take nitrates or other heart medicines. No injuries have been reported, the product has been pulled, and buyers can get a full refund at GNC.
Sources:
fda.gov, techlicious.com, silive.com, jamanetwork.com
