Dangerous Supplements You Should Stay Away From

Dangerous Supplements You Should Stay Away From

April 27- 2011

Curated by Rene Volpi via deefoster

Natural Does not Mean Safe!

We are living in a time when more and more people appear to be more health conscious than ever before. The health and wellness industry is a growing trend, accounting for billions of dollars in health and wellness products, such as herbal and natural supplements.

Many, however, do not realize that they are putting themselves in grave danger when taking natural supplements in an attempt to either improve their health or to combat certain illnesses and diseases.

I believe that too many believe the hype and buy in too quickly before taking the time to do the necessary research to ensure that what they are taking is not going to have any harmful side effects.

You should always remember, what is safe for someone else may not necessarily be safe for you. For example, there are some herbal supplements that can cause lethal side effects when taken with certain medications and may cause dangerous reactions if your have certain preexisting conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, just to name a few.

Dangerous Supplements

Here are a list of supplements that have been identified has having some serious potential to cause a lot of damage. I recommend that you stay away from these supplements and at the very least do some further research before you take these.

• Kava - Used for anxiety. This supplement may cause liver damage and has already been banned in Canada, Germany and Switzerland.
• Comfrey - Used for the treatment of cancer, couch and also used to treat heavy bleading during menstrual cycle. Possible danger includes liver damage and cancer.
• Germanium - Used in the treatment of liver problems, pain infections and arthritis. Possible side effects are kidney damage and even death.
• Coltsfoot - Used for sore throat, asthma and bronchitis. Side effects include liver damage and cancer.
• Bitter Orange - Used for allergies, nasal congestion and weight loss. Dangerous side effects include stroke, fainting, heart attack and even death
• Aconite - Used for gout, joint pain and inflammation. Dangerous side effects include vomiting, low blood pressure, toxicity and even death.
  

Tips to Protect Yourself

If you are considering adding herbal and other natural supplements to your diet, here are some tips to ensure that you make the safest choices in natural supplements.

1. See your Doctor. Always check with your doctor before adding any supplements to your doctor. Some supplements could cause dangerous reactions to any medication you may already be taking.
2. Stay away from supplements for weight loss, body building and sexual enhancement. According to the FDA, these types of supplements could possible contain trace amounts of prescription drugs and steroids.
3. Only purchase supplements that show the "USP Verified" seal. This organization verifies the quality and purity of the raw materials.
4. Don't take more than indicated on the container. Taking more does not increase the benefits and could result in over dosing and toxicity.
5. See your doctor immediately if you start to experience any symptoms as the result of taking supplements.