Ann Arbor, Michigan Nearly 15 million Americans take herbal supplements that contain ingredients that may harm the liver, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.
These supplements include products containing turmeric, green tea, ashwagandha, black cohosh, garcinia cambogia, and red yeast rice. These supplements are marketed to help with a variety of health issues, including boosting energy, weight loss, relieving menopausal symptoms, and improving joint health.
The problem is, these supplements are not regulated by the FDA in the same way that medicines are.
Dr. Robert Fontana and Dr. Alisa Likisap are hepatologists at U-M Health.
“Botanical products are commercially available products that contain ingredients extracted from plants, plant roots or plant leaves. So the problem with these products is that the ingredients often vary from lot to lot and we often don’t know exactly what’s in each plant, which leads to potential risks for the public,” Fontana said.
In another study, researchers found that the actual ingredients in supplements only matched what was listed on the label half the time.
“We have seen patients suffer liver damage from taking these supplements, some of which have been fatal, requiring liver transplants, and we know that millions of Americans are taking these supplements and are unaware of the ingredients that can cause liver damage,” Lichtop said.
Fontana said he doesn’t want to scare people, but he does want to raise awareness about the potential risks these supplements pose and the importance of sharing any supplements you take with your health care provider.
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