Most people don’t worry about supplement side effects and assume that they are tested for safety before sold. Not so. The FDA does not review or approve supplements.
If you’re taking supplements to increase your body mass, improve your nutrition, for general health or to ward off a cold, know this: supplements are not medicine and for most of them, there is no research to support their use.
That doesn’t make all supplements bad or dangerous. But it does mean you are depending on your own research. One source we turn to is Examine.com which is one of the most authoritative and helpful information sources on all supplements.
Consumer Reports is another excellent source and they have shared the following chart of supplements that their experts have identified as ones to avoid or be cautious about.
| 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 stomach ache | Liver damage |
| Green Tea Extract PowderAlso 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, oxy ephedrine, 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 |
