A world leading doctor has raised the alarm over turmeric supplements, and says that they could cause life-threatening liver damage.
Turmeric has long been lauded for its anti-inflammatory benefits, and hailed as a natural remedy which can be used to treat everything from arthritis to heart disease.
Some researchers even believe that the spice might be effective in supporting cancer treatments, reducing the chance of the disease spreading.
As a result, turmeric supplements have taken the wellness world by storm, with around half of all adults in the UK currently taking supplements on a regular basis.
Yet, Dr Jen Gunter, a leading gynecologist, has now warned: ‘There is no good science to support turmeric supplements for any health outcome, so why take the risk?’
Turmeric is made by breaking down the dried rootstalk of turmeric plants, so that it can be used in everything from curries to coffees.
In this state very little of the active ingredient—curcumin, which gives the spice its bright yellow colour—can be absorbed by the body.
‘Food and supplements are not the same thing,’ Dr Gunter warned her 372,000 followers in an Instagram video.
Whilst Dr Gunter warned against taking turmeric supplements, she said there is nothing wrong with using the natural ingredient in cooking
Turmeric has long been lauded for its anti-inflammatory properties, but taken in high doses with boosted absorption it could cause life-threatening liver damage (stock image)
‘You can’t compare something that you’re taking with a bowl of protein of fibre, with something you’re taking as a pill,’ she added.
But now supplement manufactures are pairing curcumin with piperine—a compound found in black pepper—to boost its absorption by up to 2,000 per cent.
‘Turmeric, the spice by itself, is not actually absorbed very well,’ Dr Gunter explained.
‘But these turmeric products that have really flooded the market are all designed to enhance absorption.’
This carries significant health risks as in high doses, curcumin can interact with the efficacy of other drugs including antibiotics and blood pressure medications.
In the most extreme cases, turmeric supplements have been linked with severe liver damage.
Dr Gunter said: ‘Experts in this space are really concerned that the rise in liver toxicity that we’re seeing is paralleling these products that are designed to enhance absorption.’
In a study published in The American Journal of Medicine researchers looked at the number of turmeric-associated liver injury cases recorded in the US between 2004 and 2022.
Experts warn that taking multiple supplements at one time carries potential dangers due to unknown interactions that can make prescription drugs more potent or less effective
The experts warned that too much turmeric in supplements particularly if combined with black pepper can lead to liver damage
They discovered 10 cases of liver damage caused by the spice. Five people were hospitalised and one person died of acute liver failure.
The 62-year-old woman had no history of liver disease and was taking turmeric root extract for her arthritis. She was also taking tramadol—a strong painkiller—a nasal decongestant for her allergies, and other multivitamins including ginger and vitamin D.
She developed fatigue and nausea followed by jaundice, after taking turmeric once daily for 14 months.
A liver that is working poorly cannot get rid of bilirubin—a substance that triggers yellowing of the eyes and skin, medically known as jaundice.
She stopped taking the supplement, but her symptoms did not improve and she was listed for a liver transplant.
She died within five weeks of the onset of symptoms.
Doctors concluded that the liver failure was likely caused by the turmeric supplements, which could have interacted with the other medications she was taking.
High doses of curcumin have also been shown to have a blood-thinning effect, putting people who take anticoagulants at increased risk of dangerous bleeding.
Dr Gunter also warned that the supplements could interfere with the absorption of iron, an essential mineral important in making red blood cells that carry life-giving oxygen around the body.
A lack of iron can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which can be particularly dangerous for women who lose a lot of blood during their period.
It comes as the latest official figures show the number of Brits being hospitalised for malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies has almost tripled in a decade.
In 2022, there were more than 800,000 admissions in England and Wales with conditions linked to poor nutrition, including ‘Victorian’ illnesses scurvy and rickets.
Iron deficiency was the biggest problem, NHS data revealed, with admissions for the bone-weakening condition shooting up by 149 per cent since 2013.
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