FW: Consumer World Update - April 5

["Bernard Barber Ph.D." <dbbarber@xxxxxxx>]

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From: Ed Bobrow [mailto:edbobrow@xxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 7:53 AM
To: General List
Subject: FW: Consumer World Update - April 5

 




Twelve supplements you should avoid



The 12 supplement ingredients in this table have been linked to serious
adverse events or, in the case of glandular supplements, to strong
theoretical risks. They're all readily available on the Web, where our
shoppers bought them both individually and in multi-ingredient ?combination
products.? We think it's wise to avoid all of them. But the strength of that
warning varies with the strength of the evidence and the size of the risk.
So we've divided the dirty dozen into three categories: definitely
hazardous, very likely hazardous, and likely hazardous. 

DEFINITELY HAZARDOUS
Documented organ failure and known carcinogenic properties 
Aristolochic acid (Aristolochia, birthwort, snakeroot, snakeweed, sangree
root, sangrel, serpentary, serpentaria; asarum canadense, wild ginger)     
VäxaPMS-Ease, Shanghai Chinese Herbal Company Cardioflex (Guan Xin Su He
Wan), Min Shan Brand Long Dan Xie Gan Wan
   
Potenthuman carcinogen; kidney failure, sometimes requiring transplant;
deaths reported.
   
FDAwarning to consumers and industry and import alert, in April 2001. Banned
in 7 European countries and Egypt, Japan, and Venezuela.



VERY LIKELY HAZARDOUS
Banned in other countries, FDA warning, or adverse effects in studies 
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale, ass ear, black root, blackwort, bruisewort,
consolidae radix, consound, gum plant, healing herb, knitback, knitbone,
salsify, slippery root, symphytum radix, wallwort)

   
AmericanHealth & Herbs Ministry Asthma Formula 1040 Tincture
   
Abnormalliver function or damage, often irreversible; deaths reported.
   
FDAadvised industry to remove from market in July 2001.

Androstenedione
(4-androstene-3, 17-dione, andro, androstene)     
ASTSports Science Andro100, SDI-Labs D-Bol Methadrostenol, Young Again
Nutrients Androstene Dione
   
Increased cancer risk, decrease in HDL cholesterol.
   
FDAwarned 23 companies to stop manufacturing, marketing, and distributing in
March 2004. Banned by athletic associations.



Chaparral(Larrea divaricata, creosote bush, greasewood, hediondilla,
jarilla, larreastat)    
ArizonaNaturals Chaparral tablets, American Health & Herbs Ministry Bowel &
Liver Cleanser Tincture, Larreacorp Ltd. Larreastat


    
Abnormalliver function or damage, often irreversible; deaths reported.
   
FDAwarning to consumers in December 1992.

Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys, wall germander, wild germander)     
Nature'sWonderland Germander Herb Powder
   
Abnormalliver function or damage, often irreversible; deaths reported.


    
Bannedin France and Germany.

Kava (Piper methysticum, ava, awa, gea, gi, intoxicating pepper, kao,
kavain, kawa-pfeffer, kew, long pepper, malohu, maluk, meruk, milik,
rauschpfeffer, sakau, tonga, wurzelstock, yagona, yangona)

   
NutriBioticMetaRest, Ancient Herbs Relaxit, BlueBerry Matrix Herbal Stress
Relief and Relaxation Enhancement Tablet
   
Abnormalliver function or damage, occasionally irreversible; deaths
reported.
   
FDAwarning to consumers in March 2002. Banned in Canada, Germany, Singapore,
South Africa, and Switzerland.

LIKELY HAZARDOUS Adverse-event reports or theoretical risks 
Bitter orange(Citrus aurantium, green orange, kijitsu, neroli oil, Seville
orange, shangzhou zhiqiao, sour orange, zhi oiao, zhi xhi)

   
XenadrineEFX, Metabolife Ultra, NOW Diet Support
   
Highblood pressure; increased risk of heart arrythmias, heart attack,
stroke.


    
None 

Organ/glandular extracts (brain/adrenal/pituitary/
placenta/other gland ?substance? or ?concentrate?)     
Healthgenesis.com Brain Concentrate capsules, Plymouth Bell Labs
Multigland-F Aspen GroupGlan-Fem Plus
   
Theoretical risk of mad cow disease, particularly from brain extracts.
   
FDAbanned high-risk bovine materials from older cows in foods and
supplements in January 2004. (High-risk parts from cows under 30 months
still permitted.) Banned in France and Switzerland.



Lobelia(Lobelia inflata, asthma weed, bladderpod, emetic herb, gagroot,
lobelie, indian tobacco, pukeweed, vomit wort, wild tobacco)     
Nature?s WayLobelia Herb respiratory tonic, Nature?s Way Breathe-Aid,
American Health & Herbs Ministry Asthma Formula 1040 Tincture
   
Breathing difficulty, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, diarrhea,
dizziness, tremors; possible deaths reported.


    
Bannedin Bangladesh and Italy.

Pennyroyaloil (Hedeoma pulegioides, lurk-in-the-ditch, mosquito plant,
piliolerial, pudding grass, pulegium, run-by-the-ground, squaw balm,
squawmint, stinking balm, tickweed)     
Nature?sAnswer Pennyroyal Herb Extract, Nature?s Wonderland Pennyroyal Herb
capsules, American Health & Herbs Ministry Pennyroyal Tincture
   
Liverand kidney failure, nerve damage, convulsions, abdominal tenderness,
burning of the throat; deaths reported.


    
None 

Scullcap(Scutellaria lateriflora, blue pimpernel, helmet flower, hoodwort,
mad weed, mad-dog herb, mad-dog weed, quaker bonnet, scutelluria, skullcap)

   
SolaraySkullcap Capsules, American Health & Herbs Ministry Appetite
Stimulant Formula Tincture
   
Abnormalliver function or damage.
   
None 

Yohimbe (Pausinystalia yohimbe, johimbi, yohimbehe, yohimbine)     
TwinlabYohimbe Fuel, Nature?s Purest Herbal Niagara, K-Max Power-for-Men
Pure Yohimbe Bark Extract
   
Changein blood pressure, heart arrythmias, respiratory depression, heart
attack; deaths reported.


    
None 
According to product labels.
Sources: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database 2004 and Consumers Union's
medical and research consultants.


Copyright © 2000-2003 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. No reproduction, in
whole or in part, without written permission.
-- 

 


Edwin E. Bobrow
New York, NY 10028-0134
Phone: 212-249-7001  Fax: 212-249-7256


E-Mail: edbobrow@xxxxxxxxxxx




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