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2024 survey study in JAMA Network Open of more than 9,500 adults revealed that 4.7 percent, or about 15.6 million Americans, reported using botanicals that could damage their liver. The data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The botanicals in question included turmeric or curcumin, green tea extract, ashwagandha, Garcinia cambogia, red yeast rice and black cohosh products.

The survey indicated that botanical product users were typically older, educated adults and more likely to have arthritis than non-users. Older adults might consume more of these potentially liver-damaging botanicals due to marketing campaigns addressing various health conditions. Turmeric is promoted for joint pain relief, black cohosh for menopause symptoms and red yeast rice for cholesterol management.

For information on medications and supplements and their effects on the liver, refer to the LiverTox database (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547852/), which is managed by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Always consult a healthcare professional before taking any supplement to discuss its potential side effects.