6 supplements with surprising but severe health risks
Industry Buzz
With all supplements and herbal products, there is the risk of contamination in variable potency due to the lack of regulation of these substances.
—Jeffrey H. Chester, DO, medical director of The Ohana Luxury Addiction Treatment Center in Kailua Kona, HI
Roughly three-quarters of Americans take dietary supplements, and 55% qualify as “regular users,” according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition. []
Many patients take supplements in the hopes to maintain or improve their health, or to meet their daily nutritional needs. However, some supplements come with negative side effects, and there’s little evidence they can reverse or treat chronic diseases.
Here are 6 dietary supplements that have been shown to trigger adverse reactions.
1. Kratom
Kratom, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, is often used for mood, pain relief, and self-treatment of opioid withdrawal. [] However, the plant has also been linked to serious health issues, including liver injury, dependence, withdrawal, seizures, and neuropsychiatric effects.
Kratom is particularly risky for people with liver diseases, psychiatric illnesses, and a history of substance use disorder, according to Jeffrey H. Chester, DO, a physician and the medical director of The Ohana Luxury Addiction Treatment Center in Kailua Kona, HI. “For most people, there are many more disadvantages to using kratom compared to the benefits of doing so,” he says.
Related: 5 supplements you should be taking—and when2. CBD
Another common supplement that can trigger adverse reactions is cannabidiol—or CBD. CBD comes in many formulations today—there are oils, gummies, topical ointments, and capsules. While CBD has solid research to back up its health benefits, it's not without risks for some patients. “There can be drug interactions, gastrointestinal symptoms, sedation, and there's the potential for elevation of liver enzymes,” Dr. Chester tells MDLinx.
CBD has been shown to interact with a handful of prescription medications, including anti-epileptic drugs, antidepressants, and opioid analgesics. []
3. St. John’s Wort
While some evidence has shown that St. John’s Wort may help alleviate symptoms of mild to moderate depression, the plant can trigger unwanted side effects and weaken the effectiveness of certain medications. []
Geny Ann Augustine, MD, a family medicine physician at Solace Health, says it can lead to a life-threatening condition—serotonin syndrome—when taken with antidepressants. [] “It also speeds up liver enzymes that break down drugs, making birth control or blood thinners or transplant drugs less effective,” says Dr. Augustine.
4. Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo biloba is thought to protect cognitive function and heart health. But in certain individuals, it can trigger bleeding, seizures, and allergic reactions, according to Jasmine Sawhne, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist.
“This occurs because its active compounds inhibit platelet aggregation and include ginkgotoxin, which can lower the seizure threshold and interfere with normal neurologic function,” says Dr. Sawhne.
5. Ephedra
Ephedra has been used to treat colds, infections, fever, and headaches for centuries in China and India. [] However, in 2004 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the sale of dietary supplements made with the herb. []
Why? “It can trigger high blood pressure, heart rhythm disturbances, anxiety, seizures, and even stroke or heart attack in vulnerable people,” says Dr. Sawhne, adding that this reaction stems from strong sympathomimetic effects that overstimulate the cardiovascular and central nervous systems.
Ephedra is still available for purchase for interested patients—it's just no longer marketed as a weight-loss aid or appetite suppressant. That's why it's important for physicians to understand risks for better patient counseling.
Related: 4 longevity supplements that actually do more harm than good6. Biotin
People frequently take biotin to promote their skin health and hair growth, but high doses can impact the results of certain diagnostic tests.
For example, biotin may impact the type of test used to diagnose heart attacks that relies on detection of a protein known as troponin. []
“Such interference can result in misdiagnosis and potentially unnecessary treatment or lack of treatment," says Dr. Augustine.