How Herbal Supplements Sent One Woman to the ER

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• May 17, 2022
• Full Page

A middle-aged woman learned the hard way that herbal supplements can cause harm.

The 56-year-old suffered a dangerous heart rhythm disorder after taking high doses of hemp oil containing CBD (cannabidiol), and CBG (cannabigerol) and berberine supplements. She told doctor...

Supplements: Many Cancer Patients Think They'll Help, But Experts Urge Caution

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• December 20, 2021
• Full Page

Many cancer patients take dietary supplements in hopes of keeping their disease at bay, but British researchers say there's little evidence it will pay off.

In fact, they add, supplements may not only be ineffective, but harmful as well.

"We found 1 in 5 peopl...

No Good Evidence Weight Loss Supplements Work: Study

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• June 23, 2021
• Full Page

Losing weight is hard, but many weight loss supplements promise to make the journey easy. Unfortunately, there's little high-quality research to back these claims, a new study shows.

Hundreds of weight loss supplements like green tea extract, chitosan, guar gum and conju...

Expert: Herbal Aids Can Cause Harm When Breast Cancer Spread to Skin

• Robert Preidt
• November 18, 2019
• Full Page

Using herbal products to treat breast cancer that's spread to the skin could slow wound healing and interfere with chemotherapy or hormone treatment, an expert warns.

Many patients try herbal products and creams to treat these skin lesions, according to Dr. Maria Joa...

Kratom May Cause Liver Damage: Study

• Steven Reinberg
• November 8, 2019
• Full Page

The popular herbal supplement kratom may cause liver damage, researchers warn.

Kratom is widely available in smoke shops and online. It's a botanical product made from Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical evergreen tree found in Southeast Asia. At low doses, it's ...

Another Study Casts Doubt on Safety of Herbal Drug Kratom

• Dennis Thompson
• July 18, 2019
• Full Page

The herbal supplement kratom regularly causes serious side effects and doesn't appear safe for use, a new study argues.

Kratom, made from the leaves of a Southeast Asian plant, is usually used to treat pain and addiction. But poison control center data shows it has b...

Herbals in Pregnancy May Endanger Mom, Baby

• Amy Norton
• April 10, 2019
• Full Page

During pregnancy, even harmless-sounding "natural" supplements should be avoided, a new research review suggests.

The review of 74 published studies found that a handful linked certain herbal products to increased risks of pregnancy complications -- including preterm...

FDA to Tighten Oversight of Supplements

• Robert Preidt
• February 11, 2019
• Full Page

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to strengthen regulation of dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals and herbs, the agency announced Monday.

The changes would be "one of the most significant modernizations of dietary supplement regulation and overs...

Can Herbal Drug Kratom Kill?

• Steven Reinberg
• January 2, 2019
• Full Page

The herbal drug kratom, which U.S. drug regulators have said is essentially an opioid, has been linked to some narcotic overdose deaths, but whether it's dangerous by itself isn't clear.

In a new study, University of Colorado researchers reviewed 15 kratom-related de...