Re: Kava products pose a risk of liver injury

[Guest guest]

barry91162@... writes:

> Seems like even herbal or

> dietary supplementing can be dangerous. This shows the other side of

> the coin, so to speak. People generally think that herbs cannot

> possible have any back side effects but anything taken in excess or

> out of order could very well have a reverse desire. We have to be

> careful about any thing that comes in a pill or herb that you

> wouldn't normally get in regular food intake. Also, there really

> are 'reasons' why somethings are not approved by the FDA.

>

This is so true that a person needs to have as much information as possible

before taking any herbal supplement. After all, even arsenic is natural!

There are, however, OTHER reasons why some things are not approved by the

FDA. In the case of this alert about Kava, it seems legitimate, but in other

cases there might be some questions. Just because it's a government agency

doesn't mean it's always right or always in our best interests. I don't mean

to sound cynical - actually just realistic.

I find it interesting that prescription drugs were found to be harmful at the

same time, but it's Kava that got most of the bad press!

just my thoughts,

rachel~

" Live your dreams now. Life is not a dress rehearsal. "

[Guest guest]

Ira,

Thanks for this informative post. Kava huh? Seems like even herbal or

dietary supplementing can be dangerous. This shows the other side of

the coin, so to speak. People generally think that herbs cannot

possible have any back side effects but anything taken in excess or

out of order could very well have a reverse desire. We have to be

careful about any thing that comes in a pill or herb that you

wouldn't normally get in regular food intake. Also, there really

are 'reasons' why somethings are not approved by the FDA.

Even flushing, in some individual cases, could be dangerous or

harmful to the body. If a gb get's irritated to the point of

bursting, a very dangerous situation could result. Colic pain in any

form should be treated with kids gloves. I made the mistake of

drinking 1/2 cup of olive oil during a colic attack which ended up in

ER and a gb that was on the vurge of exploding within my body. So,

flushing is not a 'cautius-free' procedure for someone who is dealing

with strong colic on a regular basis. Alternative methods should be

performed with a doctors observations in some cases as well.

Barry.

> FDA warns again about Kava

>

> The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised consumers that

kava

> products pose a risk of severe liver injury. Kava (Piper

methysticum) is

> a plant native to islands in the South Pacific, where it is used to

> prepare a traditional beverage. Products containing kava are

promoted for

> relaxation (e.g., to relieve stress, anxiety, and tension),

> sleeplessness, menopausal symptoms and other uses, but the FDA has

not

> determined whether they are effective. Kava products have been

associated

> with liver-related injuries -- including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and

liver

> failure -- in over 25 reports of adverse events in other countries.

Four

> patients required liver transplants. In the U.S., the FDA has

received a

> report of a previously healthy young female who required liver

> transplantation, as well as several reports of liver-related

injuries.

> Most cases occurred among people who regularly used high doses or

> combined it with alcohol.

>

> The FDA advises kava users who experience signs of illness

associated

> with liver disease to consult a physician. Symptoms of serious

liver

> disease include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the

eyes)

> and brown urine. Nonspecific symptoms of liver disease can include

> nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, unusual tiredness,

weakness,

> stomach or abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. [Kava-containing

dietary

> supplements may be associated with severe liver injury. FDA

consumer

> advisory, March 25, 2002]

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/addskava.html

>

> Although herbal products marketed with health claims are really

drugs in

> disguise, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994

> classifies them as dietary supplements. This bill, spearheaded

through

> Congress by Senators Orrin Hatch and Tom Harkin, was designed to

weaken

> the FDA's ability to protect consumers from false claims made for

herbal

> and dietary supplement products. The millions of consumers who have

been

> economically or physically harmed as a result should consider these

two

> senators partially responsible for what happened.

>

> ---------------------------

> IRA L. JACOBSON

> ---------------------------

> mailto:laser@i...

[Guest guest]

This alert is mentioned in the latest issue of Prevention. The article also

states it's not certain whether kava caused liver failure since the people

involved were also taking over the counter drugs that are known to cause liver

failure if abused.

liz

Rachd1961@... wrote:

>This is so true that a person needs to have as much information as possible

>before taking any herbal supplement.  After all, even arsenic is natural!  

>

>There are, however, OTHER reasons why some things are not approved by the

>FDA.  In the case of this alert about Kava, it seems legitimate, but in other

>cases there might be some questions.  Just because it's a government agency

>doesn't mean it's always right or always in our best interests.  I don't mean

>to sound cynical - actually just realistic.

>

>I find it interesting that prescription drugs were found to be harmful at the

>same time, but it's Kava that got most of the bad press!

>

>just my thoughts,

>rachel~

> " Live your dreams now.  Life is not a dress rehearsal. "

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

At or about Mon, 08 Apr 2002 20:41:12 -0400, bellocello4@...

made the following statement:

>This alert is mentioned in the latest issue of Prevention. The article

>also states it's not certain whether kava caused liver failure since the

>people involved were also taking over the counter drugs that are known

>to cause liver failure if abused.

It took several months for this warning by Prevention to get to another

government agency. But an official warning has recently been issued in

Canada.

Health Canada has banned the sale of all products containing the herb

kava after its safety assessment concluded that it can cause liver

toxicity, muscle weakness, and coordination problems. The agency also

requested the recall of all products that contain kava, which the label

may identify with more than 30 different names.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/protection/warnings/2002/2002_56e.htm

This is in addition to the original warning by the FDA in March, but I

know that this list does not hold the FDA in high regard:

>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised consumers that kava

>products pose a risk of severe liver injury. Kava (Piper methysticum) is

>a plant native to islands in the South Pacific where it is used to

>prepare a traditional beverage. Products containing kava are promoted

>for relaxation (e.g., to relieve stress, anxiety, and tension),

>sleeplessness, menopausal symptoms and other uses, but the FDA has not

>determined whether they are effective.

>

>Kava products have been associated with liver-related

>injuries--including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure--in over 25

>reports of adverse events in other countries. Four patients required

>liver transplants. In the U.S., FDA has received a report of a

>previously healthy young female who required liver transplantation, as

>well as several reports of liver-related injuries. Most cases occurred

>among people who regularly used high doses or combined it with alcohol.

>

>The FDA advises kava users who experience signs of illness associated

>with liver disease to consult a physician. Symptoms of serious liver

>disease include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes)

>and brown urine. Nonspecific symptoms of liver disease can include

>nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, unusual tiredness, weakness,

>stomach or abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. [Kava-containing

>dietary supplements may be associated with severe liver injury. FDA

>consumer advisory, March 25, 2002]

>http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/addskava.html

It has been claimed that although herbal products marketed with health

claims are really drugs in disguise, the Dietary Supplement Health and

Education Act of 1994 classifies them as dietary supplements.

Just a reminder that we must take responsibility for whatever enters our

bodies.

---------------------------

IRA L. JACOBSON

---------------------------

mailto:laser@...