Introduction
It’s no secret that supplements can be beneficial for your health, but there are some that you should avoid. Physicians are warning people to never take certain supplements again due to their potential health risks. In this article, we’ll discuss the supplements that you should avoid and provide some healthier alternatives. We’ll also discuss why these supplements are dangerous and what you should look for when choosing a supplement. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of which supplements to avoid and which ones are safe to take.
Physicians Warn You Never Take These Supplements Again
It’s no secret that taking supplements can be beneficial for your health. But, there are some supplements that physicians are warning you to stay away from. Here are the supplements that you should never take again.
1. Kava
Kava is a supplement that is derived from the root of a plant native to the South Pacific. It is often used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and stress. However, it has been linked to liver damage and even liver failure. Therefore, it is best to avoid taking this supplement.
2. Comfrey
Comfrey is a herb that is often used to treat skin conditions and wounds. However, it contains a toxic compound called pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can cause liver damage. Therefore, it is best to avoid taking this supplement.
3. Ephedra
Ephedra is a stimulant that is often used to treat asthma and other respiratory conditions. However, it has been linked to serious side effects such as heart attack, stroke, and even death. Therefore, it is best to avoid taking this supplement.
4. Yohimbe
Yohimbe is a supplement that is often used to treat erectile dysfunction. However, it has been linked to serious side effects such as high blood pressure, heart palpitations, and even death. Therefore, it is best to avoid taking this supplement.
5. St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort is a supplement that is often used to treat depression. However, it has been linked to serious side effects such as increased risk of bleeding, interactions with other medications, and even liver damage. Therefore, it is best to avoid taking this supplement.
Conclusion
It is important to be aware of the potential risks associated with taking certain supplements. Therefore, it is best to avoid taking Kava, Comfrey, Ephedra, Yohimbe, and St. John’s Wort. Instead, focus on eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly to maintain your health.
Dietary supplements are causing thousands of people to end up in the ER every year. Because the FDA classes supplements as food rather than medicine, it can be difficult to know what’s safe and what isn’t. “This has huge consequences for the whole category of dietary supplements—from vitamins, minerals, probiotics and all sorts of new ingredients,” says Pieter Cohen, MD, internist at Cambridge Health Alliance and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “What it means is that the manufacturer can introduce anything into the market that they believe is safe. The FDA’s job is to identify the products that are causing harm after they’ve been on the market and remove them from store shelves… Because the FDA isn’t vetting these products before they show up on store shelves or on the internet, what happens is that they can pose unpredictable risks.” Here are five supplements physicians want you to avoid. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Despite an explosion in “miracle” COVID-19 cures and quack science products, there is no product that can prevent or cure the virus. “Taking quercetin, zinc, or vitamin D and other nutritional supplements cannot prevent or treat coronavirus infection or COVID-19,” say Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H., and Gabor Kelen, M.D. “The same is true of essential oils — they are not effective to prevent coronavirus disease. The best ways to stay safe from COVID-19 are getting vaccinated, wearing a mask (especially in crowded or indoor settings), keeping your hands clean and practicing physical distancing.”
There’s a huge difference between drinking a cup (or three) of coffee, and taking energy-boosting supplements which may contain dangerous levels of caffeine. “I think it’s important to be aware that caffeine is generally safe in the doses most people consume,” says Jeffrey Goldberger, MD, University of Miami cardiologist. “But it does have the potential to be dangerous at extremely high doses, and there are people who have some sensitivities to it.”
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Kava is extremely toxic to the liver, and has been banned in the U.K. “More than 100 cases of liver toxicity related to the use of kava have been identified, some leading to liver transplant and some leading to death,” says Robert Ashley, MD. “There are many reasons for liver damage. For one, kava depletes glutathione, a chief antioxidant, within the liver. It also inhibits enzymes involved in the metabolism of many drugs. Many of the cases of liver toxicity were seen in people who had prior liver disease or used alcohol in addition to kava.”
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Want to lose weight? Don’t waste your money on useless and often dangerous weight-loss supplements. “Many weight loss supplements contain ingredients that are contaminated, ineffective, dangerous, or actually illegal,” says clinical toxicologist Rose Ann Gould Soloway, RN, BSN, MSEd, DABAT. “Some people become ill after taking these products. Some have interactions with medicines. It can be hard to get your money back. Worst of all, these products often don’t help.”
“Weight-loss products accounted for one quarter of all single-product ED visits and disproportionately affected women,” says Susan Farrell, MD.
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Using male sexual enhancement supplements may do more harm than good—especially as the product labels may not be accurate about ingredients. “These supplements might contain the active ingredients found in prescription erectile dysfunction medications — though made illegally without any quality control — or they might contain one of more than 45 chemical agents that have never been tested in humans,” says Pieter Cohen, M.D.