Herbal, Body Building, Diet Supplements Linked To Severe Liver Damage, Study

Medical Daily | Christine Hsu


Photo: David Gray/Reuters
Even though supplements account for 18 percent of all liver injuries in the U.S. and their potential side effects and hepatotoxicity of supplements are still not well defined, nearly 4 out of 10 Americans take them.

People taking body-building, weight-loss pills and other types of dietary and herbal supplements may be at risk for liver injury severe enough to warrant an organ transplant, experts warned.

People taking body-building, weight-loss pills and other types of dietary and herbal supplements may be at risk for liver injury severe enough to warrant an organ transplant, experts warned at a press briefing at Digestive Disease Week in San Diego.

Even though supplements account for 18 percent of all liver injuries in the U.S. and their potential side effects and hepatotoxicity of supplements are still not well defined, nearly 4 out of 10 Americans take them.

"The number of cases in our network has increased over the years," Serrano said during the briefing. "There were no deaths, but 7% of patients needed a liver transplant. These are not trivial consequences," Dr. Jose Serrano of the National Institutes of Health said at the conference, according to Medpage Today.

Read more: http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20120522/9994/liver-herbal-body-building-weight-loss-damage-organ-transplant.htm

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