Four Supplements That Could Be Dangerous for Your Heart: Cardiologist

• Cardiologists say some supplements can pose a risk to the heart.
• These interact with common heart medications and can cause heart problems even in healthy people.
• Turmeric, green tea extract, St. John’s wort, and bitter orange are supplements to avoid.

In the United States, cardiovascular disease It affects more than 127 million adults and is the leading cause of death.

Many patients with cardiovascular disease take common medications such as blood thinners and blood pressure lowering drugs.

Some people looking to further improve their cardiovascular health turn to supplements like turmeric and green tea extract.

However, supplements don’t always have the benefits listed on the bottle, and some can be dangerous, especially for people who are already taking prescription drugs.

“It’s crazy because you can buy something over the counter that can completely affect how a drug works,” Dr. Daniel Berardo, a cardiologist based in Los Angeles, California, told Insider.

Despite the danger, mayo clinic According to a report, only 25% of people who take supplements report seeing a doctor.

Berardo told Insider about four popular herbal supplements that can pose a risk to heart health.

turmeric

turmeric It has been shown that it can be expected to have some effect in reducing inflammation. osteoarthritis.There may be some evidence that it may even slow growth cancer cell and good things heart health.

However, Berardo said turmeric can be dangerous when taken in high doses.

Not only does it lead to My liver hurts, However, consuming large amounts of turmeric may also cause your blood to become thinner. And it has been reported that taking turmeric with blood thinners may increase the risk of dangerous bleeding. british heart foundation.

Berardo said that because herbal supplements are not strictly regulated by the FDA, there are inconsistencies in how they are manufactured, which makes consuming high doses a concern. Some supplements may also contain undisclosed ingredients.

“You don’t always know what or how much you’re consuming,” she says. As a result, overdoses and drug interactions may become more common.

green tea extract

Green tea extract, extracted from the same tea leaves used in your favorite matcha latte, is thought to increase mental alertness and aid in weight loss. According to the NIH.

Some studies suggest that drinking green tea or consuming green tea extract may also be beneficial for heart health. cleveland clinic.

But green tea extract can be dangerous, especially when used with other drugs, Berardo said.

Caffeine found in green tea extract can cause problems such as increasing blood pressure. have high blood pressure.

Excess caffeine, including those from green tea extract, can also cause palpitations. According to Mount Sinai.

st john’s wort

It is popular because it has the potential to treat mild to mild symptoms. moderate depression, st john’s wort It is a yellow-flowered plant with a long history in traditional European medicine.

However, St. John’s wort can have potentially dangerous interactions with many medications, Berardo said.

Two common heart medications that can interact with St. John’s Wort include digoxin, which is prescribed to help treat it. certain arrhythmias Ivabradine prescribed to manage heart failure chronic heart failure, According to the NIH. St. John’s wort may reduce the effectiveness of both of these drugs.

bitter orange

bitter orange, aka Citrus aurantium, comes from a tree native to Asia. Bitter orange has become a popular ingredient in bodybuilding and weight loss products, but it’s still unclear whether bitter orange can actually help with any of these goals. According to the NIH.

but bitter orange It can also be harmful to healthy people, Berardo said. Specifically, bitter orange is associated with irregular heartbeats known as. arrhythmia.

According to the NIH, bitter oranges can also increase blood pressure and heart rate.