After her diagnosis, the woman was monitored closely without receiving specific treatment. But three months later, she told her doctor she had stopped taking turmeric, after she read on the internet about a possible link to liver problems.
This was the first time the woman had told her doctors about the turmeric supplement. And her suspicion about its tie to her liver problems may have been right — after she stopped taking the turmeric supplement, her doctors noticed a rapid decrease in her levels of liver enzymes, the report said.
It's known that in about 10 to 15 percent of people with autoimmune hepatitis, the condition is triggered by drugs or supplements, the report said. In these cases, the condition is called drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis. It's unclear how drugs or supplements trigger drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis, but it's thought that in some cases, the breakdown of drugs may lead to the formation of molecules that trigger an immune reaction, according to the NIH.
HERE’s ANOTHER ARTICLE ON THE SAME INCIDENT:
https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/a23505656/turmeric-supplements-liver-disease-hepatitis/
(EXCERPT)
Before you decide to throw away your supplements, you should consider a few things.
As part of their case study, the authors conducted a review of 35 previous studies related to turmeric supplements. They found that around 5 percent of the participants suffered liver problems that were linked to the supplements. However, Dr. Funk does remind us that this is the first report of autoimmune hepatitis associate with turmeric use.
They also note that there is a possibility that specific people — such as those who drink alcohol or are older in age — who take these supplements may be more prone to having problems as a result. Additionally, there is the fact that the product itself wasn’t tested (as the woman had thrown it away before she told her doctors she was taking it) and there could be a chance it was contaminated. Dr. Funk explains to us that they have demonstrated and others have reported that turmeric supplements can be comprised of encapsulated spice (root) or the spice itself can sometime be contaminated with high levels of lead. “This is unusual, but can happen,” she says. Alternatively, the turmeric could have been reacting with one of the many other drugs the woman was taking.
Tasneem Bhatia, MD, an integrative medicine specialist, isn’t quick to dismiss turmeric supplements, pointing out that it is a well-known anti-inflammatory and reiterating that this is the fist case study to be published. “It is important to note it has been reported by the patient and not in the medical chart that turmeric may have caused the autoimmune hepatitis,” Dr. Bhatia tells Prevention.
so.....the autoimmune hepatitis could have been triggered by the turmeric. Or one of the 20+ prescription drugs she was on. Or none of the above.
Not a terribly enlightening article.
I took the supplement a few times and did not feel well. I told my acupuncturist about it and she said to quit taking it. It was ‘too hot’ for me. And that is what I felt. It is a powerful product. Just because it has some redeeming qualities for your body doesn’t mean one needs to take it all the time and copious amounts or even at all. Not everything that is tested as having benefits is right for our body or needs to be a steady diet.
I’ve been taking turmeric supplements (one a day) for 30 or 40 years. No problems.
ive never taken tumeric, but I know more than one friend (who do not know each other) that swear by it for knee pain.
Reminds me of the beautiful actress, Allison Hayes
She was getting up there in Hollywood. But she started to experience severe health problems and was unable to walk without a cane.
In severe pain, her usually good-natured personality began to change and she became emotional and volatile, making it difficult for her to secure acting work. She had a very minor role in the 1965 Elvis Presley film “Tickle Me,” making her final appearances in a guest role on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. in 1967.
Hayes later said that the pain of her illness caused her to contemplate suicide, and that her symptoms were not taken seriously by doctors.
Reading a medical book about the metal poisoning of factory workers, Hayes recognized the symptoms described as being similar to her own.
Hayes began to question the ingredients of a calcium supplement she had been taking for a long time and when she employed a toxicologist to test a sample of the product, he determined that it had an extremely high content of lead and concluded that Hayes was most likely suffering from lead poisoning.
By then it was too late....her body had been fatally damaged by lead poisoning. She died soon after.
Thank you in advance.
I took the supplement for about a week and then started to develop extreme headaches, stomach and intestinal pain, and explosive .. and I do not use the term "explosive" lightly .. diarrhea. I stopped taking the supplement and it took three days to get it out of my system and for the negative effects to wear off ...
A couple years ago, after hearing good stories about turmeric from friends who bought it online, I decided to try it. I bought capsules available in a local chain store. I noticed immediate improvement for my knee pain, but after two weeks, I began to feel funny. I felt a little spacey, a little more nervous. I immediately went off the product. The feeling ent away. Now if anyone asks if I’m allergic to anything, I list turmeric. I talked to my doctor before I went on it and he said it was okay to try it. I talked to him after I went off it, he said it was good I went off it. By the way, I found relief for my pain by consulting with an Orthopedic specialist who believes in conservative treatment (not surgery).
I take turmeric supplements. This article is bs
Of course the 20 other medications she was taking played no part. LOL!
There are a lot of people who lived to be 100 or more who never took a vitamin pill or a supplement in their lives.
She was taking 20 other medications and supplements..
Duhhhhh..
Her liver was pickled in its own juice.
Some evidence also shows that turmeric is good for blood sugar control in diabetics.
I don’t take supplements but I do try to put cinnamon in my coffee, sprinkle turmeric on my soup or scrambled eggs, and have two or three cups of green tea per day.
I trust working foods and spices into my diet naturally, over companies that putting things into a pill.
If I need a turmeric supplement, I’ll add it to my split pea soup with ham hocks, yummy.
Supplements are not regulated and may contain harmful bacteria like salmonella or heavy metals like lead or mercury, or poisons like arsenic.
That being said, supplements from well known reputable and reliable companies are more likely to be safer as those companies don’t want their reputations ruined because of shoddy practices. (Shady companies might use fake ingredients &/or poorly sourced ingredients &/or dirty poorly maintained processing facilities &/or methods.
On the other hand, spices are heavily regulated by the FDA, as shown by the following link:
Questions & Answers on Improving the Safety of Spices
https://www.fda.gov/food/foodscienceresearch/risksafetyassessment/ucm487954.htm
I use organic turmeric spice and organic turmeric root in many dishes. The health benefits are better absorbed when combined with black pepper, heat, and a little fat (turmeric is fat soluble and better absorbed with some fat).
Links about turmeric:
3 tricks to enhance turmeric absorption and boost its benefits.
https://foodpharmacy.blog/2017/03/3-tricks-to-enhance-turmeric-absorption-and-boost-its-benefits/
Cancer Dr. Explains How Cooking With Turmeric Leads To Amazing Health Benefits
http://naturalsociety.com/cancer-doctor-explains-how-cooking-turmeric-health-benefits/
Since the fall of 2011, I have survived 3 bouts of cancer and now in the process of fighting the 4th bout. In addition to traditional medical care, I have switched my diet to heavily organic fruits and veggies during treatment. I admit that after remission I have resumed old bad diet habits (mostly meat, dairy, & some non-organic veggies & fruits - I love pizza and BBQ and sweet stuff). I gotta stop doing that.
Regardless of my diet, though, I give all glory, credit, and praise to God and Jesus, in whom I have complete trust and faith.
I only use the stuff every few years to make pickles, but my entire adult life, I have pronounced it TOOMeric. I heard it pronounced TERmuric on a tv commercial last week. I’m almost 67 years old; I think I’ll just keep pronouncing it TOOMeric. Age has benefits.
Go to a Indian grocery and buy one-two pounds of fresh turmeric root. Plant in a clump, clumped kind of close together in your garden. It makes a profusion of huge lovely leaves in a patch.....mine are two ft high or more.
I use fresh ginger root a lot which is cousin of turmeric and also anti-inflammatory. Ultimate for inflammation is MSM powder from Bulk Supplements up to two tablespoon daily taken along with vitamin C/ My own experience. plus DMSO topically.