I had just enough time the other night to browse through my latest Consumer Reports on Health, March 2011 issue. There is a great article on top selling vitamins and I hope to read the entire issue...when I get a minute of free time.
The researchers worked with the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database which evaluate the safety and effectiveness of nutritional supplements, to identify the dangerous ingredients. All supplements listed have been linked by clinical research or case reports to serious side effects such as heart problems, kidney damage and even death. And there's insufficient evidence to determine whether they're effective for most of their purported uses.
Here's the list:
Aconite - used for inflammation, joint pain, wounds and gout. Dangers include toxicity, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, respiratory-system paralysis, heart-rhythm disorders, death.
Bitter orange - used for weight loss, nasal congestion, allergies. Dangers include fainting, heart-rhythm disorders, heart attack, stroke, death.
Chaparral - cold, weight loss, infections, inflammation, cancer, detox. Dangers include liver damage, kidney problems.
Country mallow- used nasal congestion, allergies, asthma, weight loss, bronchitis. Dangers include heart attacks, heart arrhythmia, stroke, death.
Kava - used for anxiety. Dangers include liver damage.
Lobelia - used for coughing, bronchitis, asthma, smoking cessation. Dangers include toxicity, overdose can cause fast heartbeat, very blow blood pressure, coma and possibly death.
Yohimbe - use for erectile dysfunction, aphrodisiac, chest pain, diabetic complications, depression. Dangers include at usual doses; high blood pressure, rapid heart rate. At high doses; severe low blood pressure, heart problems, death.
The researchers worked with the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database which evaluate the safety and effectiveness of nutritional supplements, to identify the dangerous ingredients. All supplements listed have been linked by clinical research or case reports to serious side effects such as heart problems, kidney damage and even death. And there's insufficient evidence to determine whether they're effective for most of their purported uses.
Here's the list:
Aconite - used for inflammation, joint pain, wounds and gout. Dangers include toxicity, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, respiratory-system paralysis, heart-rhythm disorders, death.
Bitter orange - used for weight loss, nasal congestion, allergies. Dangers include fainting, heart-rhythm disorders, heart attack, stroke, death.
Chaparral - cold, weight loss, infections, inflammation, cancer, detox. Dangers include liver damage, kidney problems.
Country mallow- used nasal congestion, allergies, asthma, weight loss, bronchitis. Dangers include heart attacks, heart arrhythmia, stroke, death.
Kava - used for anxiety. Dangers include liver damage.
Lobelia - used for coughing, bronchitis, asthma, smoking cessation. Dangers include toxicity, overdose can cause fast heartbeat, very blow blood pressure, coma and possibly death.
Yohimbe - use for erectile dysfunction, aphrodisiac, chest pain, diabetic complications, depression. Dangers include at usual doses; high blood pressure, rapid heart rate. At high doses; severe low blood pressure, heart problems, death.