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Time of India
08-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Liver Damaging Supplements: Are the everyday supplements damaging the liver? Experts weigh in
We take numerous supplements daily. From the ones that enhance workout performance to those that boost skin and hair health, the supplements industry is booming. But are those supplements you take for added benefits putting your liver at risk? A recent study suggests that the herbal and dietary supplements that people take every day may pose a risk to liver health. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A study from the University of Michigan found that several supplements contain potentially hepatotoxic botanical ingredients. The findings are published in . The researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 2017 and 2020. They found that 4.7% of US adults reported using herbal and dietary supplements containing at least one of the botanicals of interest: turmeric; green tea; ashwagandha; black cohosh; garcinia cambogia; and red yeast rice containing products. 'Our interest started when we saw cases of liver toxicity from herbal and dietary supplement use in people enrolled in the ongoing NIH-funded DILIN study. But it was difficult to say how many people were using these supplements and why. The major finding here is the large number of Americans taking these products, with an estimated 15 million adult Americans taking them on a regular basis,' Alisa Likhitsup, clinical assistant professor of Medicine at U-M and lead author, said in a statement. (Pic courtesy: iStock) Previous research has found the specific botanicals studied as potentially hepatotoxic. The recent study looks at the longstanding concerns about the supplement industry, such as a lack of government regulation, insufficient attention in medical screenings, and frequent . 'In a previous study, we found that there was a great deal of mislabeling of some of these products. We performed analytical chemistry and found about a 50% mismatch between stated ingredients on the label and what they actually contained, which is quite alarming. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now If you buy a supplement and it says it has a certain ingredient, it's basically a coin flip if that's true or not,' Robert Fontana, Michigan Medicine hepatologist, professor of medicine, and senior author, said. Due to a lack of regulation, there was mislabeling, and since their effects are not well understood, clinicians often will not ask patients what supplements they are taking. 'We weren't aware that so many people were taking these supplements. So, when doctors see patients in the office, they don't necessarily ask about supplement use or take into consideration their effects,' Likhitsup, a transplant hepatologist, noted. In the participants, the highest proportion of people consumed turmeric (3.46%), followed by green tea (1.01%), ashwagandha and black cohosh (0.38%), garcinia cambogia (0.27%), and red yeast rice products (0.19%). They took the supplements on their own and not on the advice of a doctor. They consumed the supplements to improve or maintain health. Of the turmeric users, 26.8% consumed the products specifically for supposed benefits for joint health or arthritis, while 27.2% of the green tea users were hoping to improve their energy levels. The majority of the garcinia cambogia users hoped it would help them lose weight. Top Supplements for Men's Health Over 30 A study hinted that there was a 70% increase in liver transplants due to injury caused by supplements from 2010-2020, compared to 1994-2009. Though the new study wasn't able to establish any kind of causal relationship between consumption of the six botanicals and liver injury, the researchers still hope to make clinicians and patients aware of just how much is still unknown about these supplements. 'We're not trying to create an alarm. We're just trying to increase awareness that the over-the-counter supplements people are taking and buying have not been tested nor necessarily proven to be safe,' Fontana said.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The dietary supplements you think are improving your health may be damaging your liver, research warns
If you're like most Americans, you probably down a daily multivitamin or take turmeric pills from time to time. About 58% of U.S. adults 20 and older, including 64% of women and 51% of men, reported consuming a dietary supplement in the past 30 days, according to the 2017–18 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A 2024 poll from the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a dietary supplement trade association, suggests usage is even higher, with 75% of U.S. adults 18 and older taking dietary supplements. Nearly all users in the CRN survey (91%) said supplements are essential to maintaining their health—which is why it's so troubling that supplement-spurred liver damage is skyrocketing. A 2022 study published in the journal Liver Transplantation found that drug-induced acute liver failure tied to herbal and dietary supplements had increased eightfold from 1995 through 2020. What's more, herbal and dietary supplements account for roughly 20% of liver toxicity cases nationwide, according to 2017 research published in the journal Hepatology. This doesn't mean you should immediately toss out your protein powder or vitamin D capsules. Dietary supplements can indeed help you meet your daily requirements of essential nutrients and improve or maintain your overall health, the Food and Drug Administration says. But they come with risks. Last year, researchers at the University of Michigan estimated that 15.6 million Americans consume products containing at least one of these six botanicals linked to liver damage: Turmeric Green tea Ashwagandha Garcinia cambogia Red yeast rice Black cohosh These supplements are taken for everything from allergies to menstrual cramps to weight loss. And that's not all the team uncovered. 'In a previous study, we found that there was a great deal of mislabeling of some of these products,' senior author Dr. Robert Fontana, a Michigan Medicine hepatologist, said in an August news release. 'We performed analytical chemistry and found about a 50% mismatch between stated ingredients on the label and what they actually contained, which is quite alarming. If you buy a supplement and it says it has a certain ingredient, it's basically a coin flip if that's true or not.' In addition, numerous studies have found supplements to be contaminated with toxic heavy metals. While the FDA regulates supplements, the agency doesn't review them for safety, quality, and effectiveness as it does with drug approvals. And though supplements are typically found in the pharmacy sections of both online and brick-and-mortar retailers, the FDA regulates them as food, not drugs. It's up to manufacturers to properly label their products, which the FDA reviews after they hit the market. The agency keeps a searchable database of warning letters it has sent to companies accused of problems such as false claims or poor manufacturing practices. The FDA also encourages consumers to report problems with dietary supplements. You may not feel you need to tell your health care provider you're taking something as mundane as vitamin C gummies, but there's a reason the FDA encourages it. Some supplements may negatively interact with certain medications you're taking, and your doctor can help determine which supplements safely suit your health goals. Don't fall for 'megadosing' trends that promise speedy or exaggerated results. While rare, it is possible to fatally overdose on dietary supplements. The Office of Dietary Supplements, part of the National Institutes of Health, has established daily upper limits (ULs) for safe consumption. For example, adults shouldn't consume more than 100 micrograms of vitamin D in a day. 'Supplements, in the U.S. at least, are not supposed to have more than the UL in any single dose,' Joanne Slavin, PhD, a professor in the food science and nutrition department at the University of Minnesota, previously told Fortune. 'But you could take 10 doses—we can't control that.' For more on dietary supplements: What's the scoop on protein powder? Nutrition experts share 3 things to know about the popular supplement The dark side of daily vitamin D supplements: After a man died from an 'overdose' in the U.K., experts explain how much is healthy The best time to take your supplements depends on these 2 factors, experts say 4 best supplements for an energy boost, according to experts Some protein powders contain cancer-causing toxins, new study shows, and these 3 types are the worst offenders This story was originally featured on
