So-Called 'Health' Supplements Can Sicken—Or Kill—You

Vitamin pack
Watch out for supplements. (TheKarenD/Flickr/Creative Commons)

Herbal viagra could leave your whole body stiff—as in dead.

Yohimbe, which claims to treat erectile dysfunction, depression and obesity, was among 15 supplements that Consumer Reports identified Wednesday as having side effects that can seriously sicken or kill users in gruesome ways, including organ failure, cancer and cardiac arrest.

In terms of yohimbe, an independent panel of doctors and dietary supplement researchers found that it can raise your blood pressure, cause rapid heart rate, as well as increase the risk of seizures, liver and kidney damage, heart problems, panic attacks and death.

More than 90,000 vitamins, probiotics, minerals, herbs, botanicals and a growing list of "natural" substances crowd drugstore shelves today, but there's little evidence to prove they have any real health benefits.

The Annals of American Medicine even told shoppers to "Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements" in a 2013 report that ruled there is no evidence to support the idea of supplements having positive effects—and in fact, some were harmful.

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