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15 supplement ingredients to always avoid

By: WFTS Webteam

Posted at 9:54 PM, Jul 27, 2016

and last updated 2016-07-28 07:59:35-04

Consumer Reports, with the help of an expert panel of independent doctors and dietary-supplement researchers, identified 15 supplement ingredients that are potentially harmful.

The risks of the identified supplement ingredients include organ damage, cancer, and cardiac arrest. The severity of these threats often depends on such factors as pre-existing medical conditions as well as the quantity of the ingredient taken and the length of time a person has been exposed to the substance.

Many of the ingredients on the list also have the potential to interact with prescription and over-the-counter medications, such as cholesterol-lowering statins and blood-thinning drugs like aspirin and warfarin (Coumadin and generic), according to Consumer Reports.

Ingredient	Claimed Benefits	Risks
Aconite Also called: Aconiti tuber, aconitum, angustifolium, monkshood, radix aconti, wolfsbane	Reduces inflammation, joint pain, gout	Nausea, vomiting, weakness, paralysis, breathing and heart problems, possibly death
Caffeine Powder Also called: 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine	Improves attention, enhances athletic performance, weight loss	Seizures, heart arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, possibly death; particularly dangerous when combined with other stimulants
Chaparral Also called: Creosote bush, greasewood, larrea divaricata, larrea tridentata, larreastat	Weight loss; improves inflammation; treats colds, infections, skin rashes, cancer	Kidney problems, liver damage, possibly death
Coltsfoot Also called: Coughwort, farfarae folium leaf, foalswort, tussilago farfara	Relieves cough, sore throat, laryngitis, bronchitis, asthma	Liver damage, possible carcinogen
Comfrey Also called: Blackwort, bruisewort, slippery root, symphytum officinale	Relieves cough, heavy menstrual periods, stomach problems, chest pain; treats cancer	Liver damage, cancer, possibly death
Germander Also called: Teucrium chamaedrys, viscidum	Weight loss; alleviates fever, arthritis, gout, stomach problems	Liver damage, hepatitis, possibly death
Greater Celandine Also called: Celandine, chelidonium majus, chelidonii herba	Alleviates stomachache	Liver damage
Green Tea Extract Powder Also called: Camellia sinensis	Weight loss	Dizziness, ringing in the ears, reduced absorption of iron; exacerbates anemia and glaucoma; elevates blood pressure and heart rate; liver damage; possibly death
Kava Also called: Ava pepper, kava kava, piper methysticum	Reduces anxiety, improves insomnia	Liver damage,exacerbates Parkinson's and depression, impairs driving, possibly death
Lobelia Also called: Asthma weed, lobelia inflata, vomit wort, wild tobacco	Improves respiratory problems, aids smoking cessation	Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, rapid heartbeat, confusion, seizures, hypothermia, coma, possibly death
Methylsynephrine Also called: Oxilofrine, p-hydroxyephedrine, oxyephedrine, 4-HMP	Weight loss, increases energy, improves athletic performance	Causes heart rate and rhythm abnormalities, cardiac arrest; particularly risky when taken with other stimulants
Pennyroyal Oil Also called: Hedeoma pulegioides, mentha pulegium	Improves breathing problems, digestive disorders	Liver and kidney failure, nerve damage, convulsions, possibly death
Red Yeast Rice Also called: Monascus purpureus	Lowers LDL ("bad") cholesterol, prevents heart disease	Kidney and muscle problems, liver problems, hair loss; can magnify effect of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, increasing the risk of side effects
Usnic Acid Also called: Beard moss, tree moss, usnea	Weight loss, pain relief	Liver injury
Yohimbe Also called: Johimbi, pausinystalia yohimbe, yohimbine, corynanthe johimbi	Treats low libido and erectile dysfunction, depression, obesity	Raises blood pressure; causes rapid heart rate, headaches, seizures, liver and kidney problems, heart problems, panic attacks, possibly death

Experts agree that none of these supplement ingredients provide sufficient health benefits to justify the risk. Even so, they found all 15 ingredients in products available online or in major stores such as GNC, Costco, CVS, Walmart, and Whole Foods.

Fore more information on the selection of these ingredients, the panel of dietary supplement experts, and how these products were shopped for download this PDF.

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15 supplement ingredients to always avoid

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