A 64-year-old woman developed acute hepatitis after consuming this dietary supplement for six weeks.
They can reduce stress, improve our sleep, help lose weight: food supplements are more and more numerous. However, they are not without risk: in the United States, a 64-year-old woman suffered from a acute hepatitis from the red yeast rice she was consuming. His story was reported in the BMJ Case Reports.
Monacolin K
For six weeks, this woman consumed 1200 mg of red yeast rice per day to lower her cholesterol level. This dietary supplement is similar to statins, the classic treatment for lowering cholesterol levels. From traditional Chinese medicine, red yeast rice is made from mushrooms fermented with rice. It contains monacolin K, a natural statin, similar to those found in cholesterol-lowering drugs.
When the 60-year-old was admitted to hospital, caregivers detected symptoms of hepatotoxicity, which attest to the presence of liver damage. For two weeks, she suffered from fatigue and bloating. Doctors found that she had onset of jaundice, lighter stools and darker urine. Apart from dietary supplements, nothing could explain these symptoms. A treatment based on corticosteroids (glucocorticoids) allowed her to be cured.
Better regulate the delivery of food supplements
The doctors behind this report found that other cases of poisoning after consumption of red yeast rice have already been reported. They suggest better regulating the delivery of these alternative treatments. “Dietary supplements are not necessarily safer than prescription drugs,” they explain. “Physicians and patients should research potential side effects before using or authorizing their use.”
A sizeable economic market
Last October, a man suffered from serious health problems due to a dietary supplement. Despite these potential dangers, dietary supplements continue to please. In 2018, this market brought in 1.9 billion euros in France alone.
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