A product recall has been issued for three brands of erectile dysfunction pills, Consumer NZ has reported.

The Shaguar, Signature Signergy and VigRX brands, which are sold through adult shops and online, have all been found to contain undeclared prescription medicines.

The various pills contain one or more of the drugs tadalafil, sildenafil, hydroxyhomosildenafil and/or thiosildenafil.

People who have bought the pills are advised to stop taking them.

Doctors have been urged to ask male patients one simple question that a study suggests could save the lives of many men.

Erectile dysfunction has been found to have a strong association with cardiovascular disease and researchers say asking patients about it is a cheap and safe alternative to traditional screening methods.

The report, which was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, examined whether erectile dysfunction is an accurate predictor of future problems such as heart attack and stroke.

An extract from a plant called horny goat weed may help the 50 per cent of men worldwide aged over 40 who suffer from erectile dysfunction at some point, reports WebMD.

Horny goat weed, also known as Barrenwort, Bishop's Hat, Fairy Wings, Horny Goat Weed, or Yin Yang Huo, and other herbs from the same family are said to have been used as sexual dysfunction treatments for years, and scientists have now inched a little closer to discovering exactly how it works.