Even over the counter medicines have to warn you about potential affects like drowsiness, but herbs and supplements do not, and some of them can cause life-threatening damage.
From sleeping to memory to mood to cholesterol, toxicologist Amitava Dasgupta says there's something to treat just about everything, but there's a huge misconception about herbal supplements.
"Anything natural is safe. That is a misconception because there are lots of natural products which are very toxic."
One is kava kava. Used as a natural sleep aid, Dasgupta says it can cause irreversible damage. "Using kava kava for a few months can cause significant liver damage, including total liver failure."
He tells us that germander, used for general health, can also cause liver failure. "You have to treat natural products as a drug."
Pumi Champa took the ephedra-containing weight loss supplement ma huang for just three weeks when she got shocking news. "I did my routine blood work and I noticed this really crazy, outrageous result that just didn't seem normal for someone like, as healthy as me."
Her doctor said the supplement was damaging her liver and heart. "He said if I didn't stop right away, I would have been dead."
Dasgupta says bitter orange is a toxic herb used for weight loss. "It has compounds which are structurally similar to amphetamine, which is a street drug. So it can cause heart damage."
He advises to also avoid chaparral. He says this energizing supplement wreaks havoc on the liver. Yohimbe, also known as herbal Viagra, can cause heart problems and high blood pressure.
"I think the FDA should regulate those products the way they regulate western drugs," Dasgupta said. "Can you buy oxycodone in a pharmacy without a prescription? You cannot."
Dasgupta does not think all herbal supplements need to be regulated, just the ones that have known health risks.
The FDA does issue warnings on supplements that are known to have toxic effects, but most of those supplements are still readily available in stores and online, and do not have to attach warning labels like over the counter and prescription drugs do.
