United States: Herbal supplements may be deemed “natural,” but they lack safety evaluations and FDA approval.
Key Findings
Recent research from the University of Michigan indicates that approximately 15.6 million U.S. adults—about 5 percent—have taken at least one herbal supplement in the past month that could potentially harm their liver.
Research Methodology
For this analysis, researchers looked at data from more than nine thousand American adults, averaging 47.5 years old, who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Trusted Source between 2017 and 2020.
The effects of herbal supplements and certain herbs can interfere with medications they are currently taking.
The focus was on six herbal products previously identified as potentially hepatotoxic:
- Ashwagandha
- Black cohosh
- Garcinia cambogia
- Green tea extract
- Red yeast rice
- Turmeric or curcumin
According to Dr. Alisa Likhitsup, lead author and clinical assistant professor at the University of Michigan, “Potentially hepatotoxic botanical products contain ingredients linked to liver damage.”
Study Outcomes
The study found that nearly 58 percent of participants reported using an herbal or dietary supplement in the last month, with around 5 percent taking one of the six potentially harmful botanicals.
This translates to roughly 15.6 million adults nationwide. Researchers note that the risks associated with these herbal products are comparable to those linked with certain hepatotoxic drugs, such as NSAIDs and simvastatin.
Likhitsup emphasized the need for greater awareness among patients and healthcare providers about these potentially liver-damaging ingredients, highlighting the lack of strict regulation for dietary supplements on the market.