Not everything natural is harmless. We have seen it many, many times. However, we will continue to fall for any herbalist fad that we find on social networks. The irruption of the lifestyle influencers on Instagram or TikTok has led to some substances that years ago would have been a tongue twister for us to suddenly become a must in our diet. There are those for weight loss, to improve defenses, to relax stress … When you read their properties, it is impossible not to want to get them all, as if they were Pokémons. The problem is that, just as Pikachu could give you a blast or Charmander is capable of setting fire, many of those supplements seemingly innocuous supplements end up eating away at our liver.
It is hard to believe, since many of these compounds are part of foods that are very present in our diet. How can they be dangerous then? The key is in the dosage. Nutritional supplements concentrate their active ingredients to be more effective, but they also sometimes cause our liver to be unable to metabolize them. As a result, it can suffer slight damage at first, but very worrying if consumption is not stopped in time.
Something as simple as green tea has already provoked several cases of liver failure when taken in supplement form. So, before taking any pills or herbs recommended by your primary influencer, check with your doctor.
We consume too many dietary supplements
Recently, a team of scientists from the University of Michigan has shown in a study that the 5% of Americans regularly consume supplements that could potentially damage their liver. Obviously, they are not aware of this because, being natural, they believe that they will be completely harmless.
Unfortunately, dietary supplements do not have to pass as many controls as drugs. The laboratories that produce them are not obliged to carry out clinical trials and, in addition, the regulations on labeling are not as strict. This means that consumers have even less knowledge about what they are taking and that, if they hear about its benefits on social networks, they forget to check whether they also have damage.
The exotic ashwagandha
One of the supplements considered in the University of Michigan study was ashwagandha. This supplement is all the rage on social media for many, many reasons, but mainly for its supposed ability to modulate emotions and reduce stress. It is recommended that people with anxiety problems take it regularly. There are all kinds of food supplements that contain it, even some in gummy format, so that the moment of taking it is pleasant and there is no forgetfulness.
It should be said that, despite being fashionable, ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng, has been used for thousands of years in traditional Indian medicine, or ayurveda. It is supposed to be an adaptogen. That is, it helps the body adapt to stressors so that they do not upset the balance and cause anxiety.
Currently many of the Ayurvedic treatments have undergone further scientific study, so that it has come to light that they do not really work at all. In the case of this herb, it has not even been possible to determine which of its active ingredients are responsible for its beneficial effects. Nor are the mechanisms by which they act well known. But what is known is that its consumption can cause liver damage. In fact, several cases have been reported.
One was published in 2023 by a team of Polish scientists. They described the case of a patient who had been admitted with what appeared to be a acute hepatitis. When interviewed about possible drugs, he admitted that he had been taking ashwagandha for a year. Very similar cases had recently been reported in countries such as Japan, the United States and India, so they had no doubt that these supplements were possibly the cause.
A happy ending, but with a warning note
It was necessary to perform 4 cycles of plasmapheresis, a procedure used to remove harmful substances from the blood. He also had to receive a pharmacological treatment that helped his liver to finish healing. Fortunately it was all just a scare, but this patient learned the importance of controlling everything we take, even if they are natural supplements.
Caution with turmeric supplements
Turmeric has many beneficial properties: it strengthens the immune system, improves cardiovascular health, reduces the symptoms of arthritis and even appears to protect against diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Undoubtedly, adding this spice to our diet is a great idea.
The problem comes with the supplements that have become so fashionable lately. In this case it is well known what is the active ingredient responsible for its benefits. That is, which of the substances contained in turmeric is the one that helps to improve our health. It is something known as curcumin and we can find it in more and more types of food supplements. The aim is to concentrate its benefits in a single capsule. But, again, all that glitters is not gold.
In 2023, a team of scientists from several U.S. research centers analyzed the U.S. Drug Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN). in search of cases associated with turmeric consumption. Between 2011 and 2022, 10 such cases were detected. They ranged in severity from some that did not require admission to one person who died of liver failure.
The authors of the study warned of the risk of taking these supplements, both on their own and in combination with black pepper. In fact, cases associated with supplements mixing both plants resulted in much more severe liver injury.
A cup of tea will be better than a pill
Green tea also has many, many benefits. In countries such as Japan There are many centenarians who claim to have spent their whole lives drinking a cup of this tea a day. How not to want to emulate them.
The problem is that, once again, they seek to concentrate the benefits of green tea even more with supplements that contain very high amounts of the beneficial active ingredients. So high that they may be too much for the liver.
A good example is that of a woman who in 2019 went to the hospital concerned about the color of her urine. The tests revealed that she was suffering from liver failureThe doctors interviewed her in search of its possible origin. They discovered that she had been taking green tea supplements for weight loss. These supplements have been found to contain very high doses of catechins, substances that are beneficial at low levels, but which in excess stop the action of the mitochondria in liver cells. Since these are the organelles in which cellular respiration takes place and energy is obtained, it is not surprising that your liver ended up failing.
Fortunately, as soon as he stopped the supplements his blood work improved and he made a full recovery. Other people, however, are not so lucky.