Researchers at the University of Michigan report that an estimated 15.6 million U.S. adults — or 5% — have taken at least one herbal supplement in the last 30 days that might be damaging to their liver.
For this study, researchers analyzed data from more than 9,500 U.S. adults with an average age of 47.5 who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)years 2017 to 2020. Medical data on these participants included prescription drug and herbal supplement use.
Scientists focused on study participant use of six herbal supplements considered from past research to be potentially hepatotoxicTrusted Source:
ashwagandha
black cohoshTrusted Source
Garcinia cambogiaTrusted Source
green tea extract
red yeast rice
turmeric or curcumin
This potentially hepatotoxic botanical use, researchers say, is similar to the estimated number of people prescribed potentially hepatotoxic drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and a drug used to lower bad cholesterol levels called simvastatin.
Sources: medicalnewstoday