July 28, 2016 — If you want to stay healthy, Consumer Reports has named 15 dietary supplements you should “always avoid” due to the risk of severe side effects or even death.
Even “all-natural” supplements can pose life-threatening risks. Even major retail brand-names can be filled with fake ingredients or have inaccurate labels.
Supplements are used for medical problems, but they are not regulated the same way as medicines. An estimated 23,000 people end up in the ER after taking supplements.
Pharmaceutical drug-makers must prove their product is safe before a product can go on the market. Supplement-makers only have to recall products after they are shown to pose safety risks.
In one case, a premature baby was given the probiotic supplement ABC Dophilus at a hospital. The supplement contained a fungus that caused a deadly infection, prompting a recall and FDA warnings. An attorney for the family said:
“The supplement didn’t just fail to prevent a deadly intestinal infection. The supplement actually caused a deadly intestinal infection.”
Consumer Reports says you should avoid these 15 supplements due to the risk of severe side effects:
- Actonite: Nausea, vomiting, weakness, breathing problems, heart problems, possibly death
- Caffeine powder: Seizures, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, possibly death
- Chaparral: Kidney problems, liver damage, possibly death
- Coltsfoot: Liver damage, possible carcinogen
- Comfrey: Liver damage, cancer, possibly death
- Greater Celandine: Liver damage
- Green Tea Extract Powder: Dizziness, ringing in the ears, less iron absorption, worsening anemia and glaucoma, higher heart-rate and blood pressure, liver damage, possibly death
- Kava: Liver damage, worsening depression and Parkinson’s, driving impairment, possibly death
- Pennyroyal oil: Liver failure, kidney failure, nerve damage, convulsions, possibly death
- Red Yeast Rice: Kidney problems, muscle problems, liver problems, hair loss, increasing the risk of statin side effects
- Usnic Acid: Liver injury
- Yohimbe: High blood pressure, fast heart-rate, headache, seizures, liver problems, kidney problems, panic attacks, possibly death
Do I have a Dietary Supplement Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting supplement induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with a severe side effect, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Dietary Supplement Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
