The study also found that injuries linked to green tea fat burners and other similar products are increasing significantly all across the U.S., jumping from just 7% of all drug-induced liver injuries in 2004 to about 20% in 2014.
Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one suffered liver damage or other serious side effects from a green tea supplement, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against the manufacturer and our lawyers can help.
Liver Injury from Dietary Supplements: Hepatology Study
For a new study published in the journal Hepatology [1], researchers at the Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, looked at about 700 cases of liver damage reported to the Drug Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN), a program funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Of the roughly 700 cases, 130 were linked to dietary supplements.
The greatest risk was found with bodybuilding and weight-loss supplements, according to Victor Navarro, M.D., a liver expert at Einstein Medical Center, which accounted for roughly half the cases of liver damage linked to the supplements. Navarro cautioned that the study’s conclusions likely underestimate the true extent of the problem, since DILIN only tracks severe cases of liver damage caused by drugs and supplements, and many cases are estimated to go unreported.
Green Tea Extract May Cause Liver Damage, Study Warns
In the Hepatology study, Navarro and colleagues were able to identify 2 substances as posing the greatest threat to liver health: anabolic steroids and green tea extract, which is found in many weight-loss and bodybuilding supplements.
Green tea extract, which is sold in pill form and not made from brewing leaves in hot water, was found to be particularly bad for the liver. The results of the study indicated that products which contained green tea extract—either as a single ingredient or as part of a blend—contributed to liver damage in 24 of the 130 cases linked to dietary supplements.
"As surprising as it may seem, manufacturers are not required to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that their products are safe, or that they’re effective for their advertised use, before they are sold," said Chuck Bell, programs director for Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports. “The rising number of liver injury cases is yet more evidence that the loose regulation of supplements is putting consumers at risk.”
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Symptoms of Liver Disease
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Yellow discoloration of the skin (jaundice)
Are There Other Side Effects?
Green tea has been found to be particularly dangerous when taken orally for an extended period of time, or when consumed in high dosages. It can cause mild to moderate side effects including:
- Headache
- Nervousness
- Sleep problems
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Irritability
- Irregular heartbeat
- Tremor
- Heartburn
- Dizziness
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Convulsions
- Confusion
How Can Filing a Lawsuit Help Me?
By filing a lawsuit against the maker of a defective dietary supplement, you may be entitled to collect compensation for all current and future medical expenses related to the treatment of your liver damage or other injury, as well as for damages for pain and suffering. Additionally, filing a lawsuit can help hold the drug’s manufacturer accountable for releasing an allegedly defective drug into the marketplace, and to discourage other pharmaceutical companies from engaging in similar conduct.
Check out our website to find out which diet supplements lawsuits our lawyers are currently accepting
Do I Have a Green Tea Lawsuit?
The Pharmaceutical Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in green tea extract lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new liver disease cases in all 50 states.
Free Case Evaluation: Again, if you developed liver disease from a green tea extract bodybuilding or diet supplement, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit and we can help.
