Health
Common supplements and medications could cause liver damage, studies show
Scientist shares reversal of liver disease in new trial
Arun Sanyal, M.D., director of the VCU Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health, discusses the clinical trial involving 800 participants, in which a weekly dose of semaglutide was effective at treating fatty liver disease.
As cases of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) are on the rise, experts are warning of the hidden dangers associated with some common medications and supplements.
Statistics show that DILI, also known as toxic hepatitis or hepatotoxicity — which is known to be a significant cause of acute liver failure — has been growing in Western countries since the 1960s.
Around one-fifth of the total population who are prescribed medications will experience DILI, according to recent research published in the journal Toxicology Reports.
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Potential triggers of liver injury include herbal products, dietary supplements and medications, the study found.
Those with pre-existing liver conditions and nutritional deficiencies are at a higher risk, as are pregnant women.
As cases of drug-induced liver injury are on the rise, experts are warning of the hidden dangers associated with some common medications and supplements. (iStock)
How drugs can harm the liver
One of the liver’s main functions is to break down substances taken orally, including supplements and medications, according to the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG).
For some people, the process of metabolizing these substances can be slower, increasing the risk of liver damage.
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Even medications that have been tested for safety and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can potentially cause liver injury in rare cases, stated the ACG.
Common symptoms of liver disease include nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, generalized itching, dark urine and jaundice, although some people may notice no signs, per the above source.
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Most common medications that cause DILI
The recent study in Toxicology Reports identified several drugs that are most likely to cause liver injury.
- Paracetamol (acetaminophen), a common over-the-counter pain reliever
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are often used to treat headaches, fever and chronic inflammatory disorders
- Aspirin, a common over-the-counter medication used as a fever-reducer, pain reliever and blood thinner
- Nimesulide, an NSAID used to relieve pain and reduce fever
- Methotrexate, an antimetabolite medication that is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, lymphoma, leukemia and other cancers
- Corticosteroids, which are used to treat conditions involving inflammation or overactive immune systems
- Isoniazid, a first-line treatment for tuberculosis
- Tetracyclines, a class of antibiotics that treat multiple types of bacterial infections
- Halothane, which is used as a general anaesthetic during surgical procedures
Turmeric, a common spice added to foods, has been linked to potential liver toxicity. (iStock)
Supplements linked to liver damage
Medications aren’t the only agents that can cause drug-induced liver injuries.
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, spoke with Fox News Digital about the risks of herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) affecting the liver.
“The biggest problem with herbal supplements is that the amount you are taking of active chemicals isn’t strictly regulated, so you don’t know exactly what you are getting.”
“The biggest problem with herbal supplements is that the amount you are taking of active chemicals isn’t strictly regulated, so you don’t know exactly what you are getting,” he said.
“And since several of the supplements are metabolized through the liver, there is now an increasing incidence of liver toxicity in users.”
Garcinia cambogia, a popular weight-loss supplement, is among commonly used botanical products known for potential liver toxicity. (iStock)
Cases of DILI linked to herbal or dietary supplements have nearly tripled between 2004 and 2014, according to a 2024 study published in JAMA Network Open.
The researchers identified the following most commonly used botanical products known for potential liver toxicity.
- Turmeric, a common spice added to foods
- Green tea
- Ashwagandha, an herb used for stress and anxiety
- Garcinia cambogia, a popular weight-loss supplement
- Red yeast rice, which is said to help lower cholesterol levels
- Black cohosh, a dietary supplement used to relieve menopause symptoms
It is estimated that at least 15.6 million U.S. adults have used at least one of these six botanical products within the past 30 days.
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“The most commonly implicated botanical products in the DILIN (Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network) include turmeric, kratom, green tea extract and Garcinia cambogia, with potentially severe and even fatal liver injury,” the study stated.
Drug-induced liver injury caused by HDS can be severe or even fatal, leading to death or liver transplantation, the researchers noted.
Toxic hepatitis or hepatotoxicity — which is known to be a significant cause of acute liver failure — has been growing in Western countries since the 1960s. (iStock)
Fox News’ Siegel also warned against the potential liver-related risks of some of these named supplements.
“Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and may be useful in small doses, but can be toxic in large doses,” he cautioned.
“Garcinia cambogia is very popular, especially as a weight-loss agent, but there is no real evidence that it actually works, and there is no reason to take it, especially with the new GLP-1 drugs.”
While red yeast rice has cholesterol-lowering statin-type properties, Siegel cautioned that the amount of active chemicals isn’t as strictly regulated as approved medications.
“Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and may be useful in small doses, but can be toxic in large doses.”
“I find it useful in some patients who are reluctant to start statins and are looking for a more natural alternative, but I must strictly monitor the amount taken and the effect on the liver,” he said.
Regarding green tea, Siegel noted that it does have antioxidant properties and can be useful to consume as a beverage (though it has a lot of caffeine) — “but there is no reason whatsoever to take more of it in an extract, where it can be toxic.”
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The FDA states on its website that it does regulate dietary supplement products and dietary ingredients, but under “a different set of regulations than those covering ‘conventional’ foods and drug products.”
Drug-induced liver injury caused by HDS can be severe or even fatal, leading to death or liver transplantation. (iStock)
“Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded,” the agency says. “That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act as amended by DSHEA and FDA regulations.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to several researchers and the FDA regarding the rise in drug- and HSD-related liver injury.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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