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12 dangerous supplements According to the Consumer Reports website, consumerreports.org, these 12 supplements have been “linked to serious adverse events, or in the case of glandular supplements, to strong theoretical risks.” Consumer Reports’ shoppers were able to easily purchase these potentially dangerous supplements both individually and in multi-ingredient combinations online and in retail stores. These unsafe dietary supplements should be avoided.
Name (also known as) In products such as* Dangers Regulatory actions DEFINITELY HAZARDOUS Documented organ failure and known carcinogenic properties
1. Aristolchic acid (Aristolochia, Växa PMS-Ease, Shanghai Chinese Potent human carcinogen; kidney U.S. FDA warning to consumers birthwort, snakeroot, snakeweed, Herbal Company Cardiofl ex (Guan failure, sometimes requiring and industry and import alert, sangree root, sangrel, serpentary, Xin Su He Wan), Min Shan Brand transplant; deaths reported in April 2001. Banned in seven serpentaria; asarum canadense, Long Dan Xie Gan Wan European countries and Egypt, wild ginger) Japan, and Venezuela.
VERY LIKELY HAZARDOUS Banned in other countries, FDA warning, or adverse effects in studies
2. Comfrey (Symphytum offi cinale, American Health & Herbs Ministry Abnormal liver function or damage, FDA advised industry to remove ass ear, black root, blackwort, Asthma Formula 1040 Tincture often irreversible; deaths reported from market in July 2001 bruisewort,consolidae radix, consound, gum plant, healing herb, knitback, knitbone, salsify, slippery root, symphytum radix, wallwort) 3. Androstenedione AST Sports Science Andro100, Increased cancer risk, decrease in FDA warned 23 companies to stop (4-androstene-3, 17-dione, SDI-Labs D-Bol Methadrostenol, HDL cholesterol manufacturing, marketing, and andro, androstene) Young Again Nutrients Androstene distributing in March 2004. Banned Dione by athletic associations 4. Chaparral (Larrea divaricata, Arizona Naturals Chaparral tablets, Abnormal liver function or damage, FDA warning to consumers in creosote bush, greasewood, American Health & Herbs Ministry often irreversible; deaths reported December 1992 hediondilla, jarilla,larreastat) Bowel & Liver Cleanser Tincture, Larreacorp Ltd. Larreastat 5. Germander (Teucrium Nature’s Wonderland Germander Abnormal liver function or damage, Banned in France and Germany chamaedrys, wall germander, Herb Powder often irreversible; deaths reported wild germander)
6. Kava (Piper methysticum, NutriBiotic MetaRest, Ancient Abnormal liver function or damage, FDA warning to consumers in ava, awa, gea, gi, intoxicating Herbs Relaxit, BlueBerry Matrix occasionally irreversible; deaths March 2002. Banned in Canada, pepper, kao, kavain,kawa- Herbal Stress Relief and Relaxation reported Germany, Singapore, South Africa, pfeffer, kew, long pepper, Enhancement Tablet and Switzerland malohu, maluk, meruk, milik, rauschpfeffer, sakau, tonga, wurzelstock, yagona, yangona)
Continued » Name (also known as) In products such as* Dangers Regulatory actions LIKELY HAZARDOUS Adverse-event reports or theoretical risks
7. Bitter orange (Citrus Xenadrine EFX, Metabolife Ultra, High blood pressure; increased risk None aurantium), green orange, NOW Diet Support of heart arrythmias, heart attack, kijitsu, neroli oil, Seville stroke orange,shangzhou zhiqiao, sour orange, zhi oiao, zhi xhi
8. Organ/glandular extracts Healthgenesis.com Brain Theoretical risk of mad cow FDA banned high-risk bovine (brain/adrenal/pituitary/ Concentrate capsules, Plymouth disease, particularly from brain materials from older cows in foods placenta/other gland Bell Labs Multigland-F Aspen extracts and supplements in January 2004. “substance” or “concentrate”) GroupGlan-Fem Plus (High-risk parts from cows under 30 months still permitted) Banned in France and Switzerland
9. Lobelia (Lobelia inflata, asthma Nature’s Way Lobelia Herb Breathing difficulty, rapid heartbeat, Banned in Bangladesh and Italy weed, bladderpod, emetic herb, respiratory tonic, Nature’s Way low blood pressure, diarrhea, gagroot, lobelie, indian tobacco, Breathe-Aid, American Health & dizziness, tremors; possible deaths pukeweed, vomit wort, wild Herbs Ministry Asthma Formula reported tobacco) 1040 Tincture
10. Pennyroyal oil (Hedeoma Nature’s Answer Pennyroyal Herb Liver and kidney failure, nerve None pulegioides, lurk-in-the-ditch, Extract, Nature’s Wonderland damage, convulsions, abdominal mosquito plant, piliolerial, Pennyroyal Herb capsules, tenderness, burning of the throat; pudding grass, pulegium, American Health & Herbs Ministry deaths reported run-by-the-ground, squaw Pennyroyal Tincture balm, squawmint, stinking balm, tickweed)
11. Scullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora, Solaray Skullcap Capsules, Abnormal liver function or damage None blue pimpernel, helmet flower, American Health & Herbs Ministry hoodwort, mad weed, mad- Appetite Stimulant Formula dog herb, mad-dog weed, Tincture quaker bonnet, scutelluria, skullcap)
12. Yohimbe (Pausinystalia Twinlab Yohimbe Fuel, Nature’s Change in blood pressure, heart None yohimbe, johimbi, yohimbehe, Purest Herbal Niagara, K-Max arrythmias, respiratory depression, yohimbine) Power-for-Men Pure Yohimbe Bark heart attack; deaths reported Extract
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This page contains over-the-counter dietary supplements that are registered or trademarks of pharmaceutical manufacturers that are not affiliated with CVS Specialty. *According to product labels. Sources: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database 2004 and Consumers Union’s medical and research consultants. Information available online at www.consumerreports.org Consumer Reports’ shoppers were able to easily purchase these potentially dangerous supplements both individually and in multi-ingredient combinations online and in retail stores. These unsafe dietary supplements should be avoided. ©2016 CVS Specialty. All rights reserved. 75-PCC4115 051516