Herbal and dietary supplements are very popular due to their health claims but beware!
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements. Supplements are not even required to be quality tested. However, the annual sales of dietary supplements exceed $36 billion in the United States.
There are many health consequences from both dietary and herbal supplements. If you are currently taking one or thinking about taking one, I listed the ingredients and the negative effects below for you to compare.
Please note that this may not be a complete list and newly identified side effects may also change over time.
May Damage the Kidneys:
- Asian Ginseng
- Black Psyllium Seeds
- Boneset
- Calamus
- Colloidal Silver
- Creatine
- Dehydroepiandrosterone
- Ephedra
- Germanium
- Licorice
- Pennyroyal
- Sage Leaf/Oil
- Snakeroot
- Yohimbe
May Have the Potential to Cause Cancer:
- Androstenedione
- Boneset
- Calamus
- Coltsfoot
- Comfrey
- Dong Quai
- Sassafras
- Snakeroot
May Thin the Blood:
- Aesculus
- Alfalfa
- Buckeye
- Cinchona Bark
- Clove Oil
- Dong Quai
- Feverfew
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Ginkgo Biloba
- Ginseng
- Horse Chestnut
- Melilot
- Tonka Beans
- Woodruff
May Damage the Liver:
- Black Cohosh
- Bajiaolian
- Blue-Green Algae
- Cascara Sagrado
- Celandine
- Chaparral
- Coltsfoot
- Comfrey
- Ephedra
- Germander
- Kava
- St. John’s Wort
- Skullcap
- Snakeroot
- Valerian Root
- Weight loss supplements with Green Tea Extracts
- Body Building Supplements with Anabolic Steroids:
- Axiron
- Androderm
- Androgel
- Androstenedion
- Delatestryl
- Fortesta
- Methandrosteolone
- Nandrolone
- Testim
- Testopel
- Testosterone
- Stanozolol
- Striant
May Damage the Brain & Nervous System:
- Blue-Green Algae
- Lobelia
- Pennyroyal
- Wormwood
May Damage the Heart:
- Bitter Orange
- Blue Cohosh
- Ephedra
- Yohimbe
May Cause High Blood:
- Bitter Orange
- Blue Cohosh
May Have the Potential to Cause an Abortion:
- Pennyroyal
- Sassafras
Be sure to inform your doctor of any supplements that you are currently taking. You also may want to check the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health website (http://nccam.nih.gov/health) for additional information.
References
1. Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s In a Name? (2018, November 08). Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam
2. Mueller, C.M. (Ed.). (2017). The ASPEN Adult Nutrition Support Core Curriculum, 3rd Edition. Silver Spring, MD: American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018, November 08). Steroids (Anabolic). Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/steroids-anabolic
