Thousands of Americans are unwittingly risking their lives by taking herbal supplements, which experts say can cause severe liver damage and even death.
For 40-year-old Fernanda Thompson, a healthy online search for a natural remedy led her to take turmeric, which she thought would boost her immunity. But after just three years, she found herself battling low white blood cell counts and an enlarged liver, fearing the worst - leukemia.
Thompson's experience is not unique. Studies have shown that at least 10 cases of US-based turmeric-related liver injury exist, with eight more in Australia, including one fatality. The trend may be even higher, given that a staggering 15.6 million Americans take potentially toxic compounds on a daily basis.
Gastroenterology and transplant hepatologist Dr Alisa Likhitsup warns that liver damage from supplements is becoming increasingly common. "It's more common now to see some severe cases of liver injury end up in the hospital, or even some that need to be addressed with a liver transplant," she says.
The problem lies not only with product purity and dosage but also with individual genetic reactions. According to Dr Robert Fontana, a leading expert on herbal toxicity, genetics can make people more susceptible to adverse effects from certain supplements.
"Playing Russian roulette with your genetic ability to tolerate it is what's happening when you take an herbal supplement," he says. "We do find unique genetic susceptibility factors among people who get liver injury."
While the risks are undeniable, many Americans continue to take dietary supplements due to misconceptions about their safety. As Fontana notes, there are 100,000 herbal and dietary supplements available, with few being tested or validated.
A growing number of cases have highlighted the dangers. For instance, Robert Grafton, a New Jersey resident in his 50s, was hospitalized after taking turmeric supplements, while Katie Mohan's case drew attention to potential harm from this compound.
As the global dietary supplement market is expected to reach $170 billion by 2034, experts urge consumers to exercise caution. Registered dietitian Dr Qianzhi Jiang emphasizes that proper nutrition should be achieved through a balanced diet rather than supplements.
"Most supplements are unnecessary," she says. "There's no concrete evidence of their effectiveness or safety." Dr Marwan Ghabril agrees, noting that only one in several thousand people experience liver issues from supplement use, but among those cases, about 10% have worst-case outcomes.
For Fernanda Thompson and others like her, a sobering reality has emerged: even seemingly harmless herbal supplements can carry significant risks.
For 40-year-old Fernanda Thompson, a healthy online search for a natural remedy led her to take turmeric, which she thought would boost her immunity. But after just three years, she found herself battling low white blood cell counts and an enlarged liver, fearing the worst - leukemia.
Thompson's experience is not unique. Studies have shown that at least 10 cases of US-based turmeric-related liver injury exist, with eight more in Australia, including one fatality. The trend may be even higher, given that a staggering 15.6 million Americans take potentially toxic compounds on a daily basis.
Gastroenterology and transplant hepatologist Dr Alisa Likhitsup warns that liver damage from supplements is becoming increasingly common. "It's more common now to see some severe cases of liver injury end up in the hospital, or even some that need to be addressed with a liver transplant," she says.
The problem lies not only with product purity and dosage but also with individual genetic reactions. According to Dr Robert Fontana, a leading expert on herbal toxicity, genetics can make people more susceptible to adverse effects from certain supplements.
"Playing Russian roulette with your genetic ability to tolerate it is what's happening when you take an herbal supplement," he says. "We do find unique genetic susceptibility factors among people who get liver injury."
While the risks are undeniable, many Americans continue to take dietary supplements due to misconceptions about their safety. As Fontana notes, there are 100,000 herbal and dietary supplements available, with few being tested or validated.
A growing number of cases have highlighted the dangers. For instance, Robert Grafton, a New Jersey resident in his 50s, was hospitalized after taking turmeric supplements, while Katie Mohan's case drew attention to potential harm from this compound.
As the global dietary supplement market is expected to reach $170 billion by 2034, experts urge consumers to exercise caution. Registered dietitian Dr Qianzhi Jiang emphasizes that proper nutrition should be achieved through a balanced diet rather than supplements.
"Most supplements are unnecessary," she says. "There's no concrete evidence of their effectiveness or safety." Dr Marwan Ghabril agrees, noting that only one in several thousand people experience liver issues from supplement use, but among those cases, about 10% have worst-case outcomes.
For Fernanda Thompson and others like her, a sobering reality has emerged: even seemingly harmless herbal supplements can carry significant risks.
. The fact that so many people are taking these supplements without knowing the risks is crazy to me. I mean, we're talking about 15.6 million Americans who take potentially toxic compounds on a daily basis... it's insane! 
And what really gets me is that some of these companies don't even test their products for purity and dosage. It's like playing a game of Russian roulette with your health! 
it's crazy how some people think these herbs are safe because they've seen them on instagram or youtube videos lol nope, genetics play a huge role in how our bodies react to these supplements 
we need to be so much more careful about what we put into our bodies 
i'm actually considering switching to just whole food supplements like fruits and veggies only 
. I mean, Fernanda's story is super scary, and its not just her - thousands of americans r puttin themselves thru this every day 
. Like, Dr Fontana said ppl r essentially playing russian roulette with their genetix 
. We need 2 take supplements w/ a grain of salt (pun intended) 
!
I mean come on! 15.6 million Americans taking potentially toxic compounds daily? That's crazy talk! 
It's not about being "anti-supplement" it's about being informed and taking care of ourselves. We need to stop blindly following trends and start doing our own research. 
. It's not just a matter of product purity or dosage; individual genetic reactions also play a role in how our bodies react to certain supplements. 
. And with 100,000 herbal supplements available, it's like playing Russian roulette with your health 
. I mean, why take the risk when you can get all the nutrients you need through a balanced diet? Registered dietitians are right on this one - most supplements are unnecessary 
.
. I'm not saying we shouldn't use them at all, but we need to be more aware of the potential risks and take steps to minimize them 
.
i no they think deyre gonna boost ur immunity n all but really dey can 2 severe liver damage n death!!! 
