Health Headlines: Health supplement and your liver
UAB Nutritionist Dr. Beth Kitchin joined us to explain how herbal supplements could impact your liver. A lot of people take dietary or herbal supplements. And a lot of people assume they're safe because they're "natural". But researchers are becoming more and more concerned about some common supplements that could damage your liver. Research shows herbal and nutritional supplements are linked to 20 percent of cases of "hepatotoxicity" - liver damage caused by chemicals. Bodybuilding and weight loss symptoms are the biggest culprits.
- Anabolic Steroids in Body Building Supplements - These are supplements that are promoted as athletic supplements that may be contaminated with synthetic anabolic steroids that are illegal to sell over the counter. These types of supplements are linked to jaundice.
- Black Cohosh
- Ephedrine - a weight loss supplement. Case reports show that it can cause liver damage.- Green Tea Extract - Drinking green tea is fine and likely healthy but the epigallocatechin that may have slight weight loss benefits may be toxic in high supplemental doses.
- Garcinia Cambogia - This one is found in Hydroxycut and Herbalife. Studies show that it doesn't help with weight loss and it can damage your liver.
- Kava Kava - This one is touted as an anti-depressant. In one report, 9 out of 36 patients had liver failure from taking Kava Kava – 8 needed transplants.
- Saw Palmetto
- Senna Glycosides
- Skullcap
- Usnic Acid
- Noni Juice
One-third to one-half of people in the U.S. take herbal or dietary supplements. The study that Beth discussed comes from Navarro & Zheng. Liver Injury Due to Herbal and Dietary Supplements: A Review of Individual Ingredients. Clinical Liver Disease, vol 7, No. 4, April 2016.
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