Cases of drug-induced liver injury are on the rise in the U.S., and medical experts warn that acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, is one of the leading causes along with herbal and dietary supplements, NBC News reported May 27.
When taken in excess, the supplement can overwhelm even the healthiest liver and lead to toxic hepatitis and liver failure. However, acetaminophen is not the only drug causing this, as an increasing number of liver damage cases are also being linked to herbal and dietary supplements.
From 1995 to 2020, a 2022 study published in Liver Transplantation found that supplement-related liver failure requiring transplant waitlisting rose eightfold.
One patient, Robert Grafton, a 54-year-old living in New Jersey, suffered from acute liver failure after adding a turmeric-based liquid supplement to his routine. Tests revealed alarmingly high liver enzymes and bilirubin as a result, and he recovered only after halting the supplements.
Unlike prescription drugs, supplements are not tested for safety or efficacy before hitting the market, the report said. Under the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, the FDA can only intervene after products are already sold often in response to adverse events.
“Everything can be toxic at a certain amount,” said Andrea Wong, PhD, senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, told NBC News. “It’s really up to the manufacturers and the researchers who are looking at these ingredients to determine what is the beneficial amount, then also look at what would be the amount where you start seeing some evidence of toxicity.”
