A 61-year-old man in California was rushed to a hospital in San Francisco after taking a combination of herbal supplements for joint pain, which ended up causing his body to shut down. The man's case is being cited as a cautionary tale about the dangers of using unproven and unregulated supplements.
The man had been taking three different types of herbal supplements - Artri King, Nhan Sam Tuyet Lien, and Linsen Double Caulis Plus - for four years, sometimes taking them up to four times a day. He stopped using them in the weeks leading up to his illness, but it's believed that they played a significant role in his condition.
When he arrived at the hospital, the man was in bad shape, with nonspecific problems such as back pain, fever, nausea, and bloating. His heart rate and breathing were high, his blood pressure was low, and he had multiple wounds on his lower body.
Initial exams and lab work revealed a bacterial infection in his blood, an abscess on his shoulder, and an infection in and around his spine that was worsening. Doctors attempted to perform surgery to relieve the pressure on his spinal cord and nerves, but his blood pressure was too low, causing him to go into hemorrhagic shock from bleeding in his gastrointestinal tract.
After being transferred to the intensive care unit, doctors discovered more problems with his GI tract, including an inflamed esophagus, a stomach ulcer, and an "oozing" ulcer in the upper part of his small intestines. Despite stabilizing the bleeding, the man continued to deteriorate, with his blood pressure dropping further and his breathing worsening.
To save his life, doctors intubated him, but it took six weeks for his HPA axis (the body's stress response system) to show signs of recovery on tests. By that time, he had developed recurrent bacterial infections in his blood and persistent delirium. It wasn't until several months later that he was finally discharged from the hospital.
The doctors who treated the man are warning about the dangers of using herbal supplements without proper regulation or awareness of potential risks. "Clinicians must remain vigilant in assessing supplement use and educate patients on potential risks, particularly regarding hidden glucocorticoids, to prevent serious health complications such as adrenal insufficiency," they conclude.
This case highlights the importance of being cautious when taking unproven supplements, especially those containing unlisted glucocorticoids. The FDA has issued warnings about these supplements, but public awareness remains low.
The man had been taking three different types of herbal supplements - Artri King, Nhan Sam Tuyet Lien, and Linsen Double Caulis Plus - for four years, sometimes taking them up to four times a day. He stopped using them in the weeks leading up to his illness, but it's believed that they played a significant role in his condition.
When he arrived at the hospital, the man was in bad shape, with nonspecific problems such as back pain, fever, nausea, and bloating. His heart rate and breathing were high, his blood pressure was low, and he had multiple wounds on his lower body.
Initial exams and lab work revealed a bacterial infection in his blood, an abscess on his shoulder, and an infection in and around his spine that was worsening. Doctors attempted to perform surgery to relieve the pressure on his spinal cord and nerves, but his blood pressure was too low, causing him to go into hemorrhagic shock from bleeding in his gastrointestinal tract.
After being transferred to the intensive care unit, doctors discovered more problems with his GI tract, including an inflamed esophagus, a stomach ulcer, and an "oozing" ulcer in the upper part of his small intestines. Despite stabilizing the bleeding, the man continued to deteriorate, with his blood pressure dropping further and his breathing worsening.
To save his life, doctors intubated him, but it took six weeks for his HPA axis (the body's stress response system) to show signs of recovery on tests. By that time, he had developed recurrent bacterial infections in his blood and persistent delirium. It wasn't until several months later that he was finally discharged from the hospital.
The doctors who treated the man are warning about the dangers of using herbal supplements without proper regulation or awareness of potential risks. "Clinicians must remain vigilant in assessing supplement use and educate patients on potential risks, particularly regarding hidden glucocorticoids, to prevent serious health complications such as adrenal insufficiency," they conclude.
This case highlights the importance of being cautious when taking unproven supplements, especially those containing unlisted glucocorticoids. The FDA has issued warnings about these supplements, but public awareness remains low.
that's crazy what happened to him, some herbal supplements can be deadly 
i mean like he was taking four of them a day? thats wild 
and the fact that they played a role in his condition is just a wake-up call for everyone. gotta be careful when we're popping pills 
or taking any supplement without knowing what's in it 
i mean i get it, joint pain is no joke and people might feel like they need something to help, but come on, at least do some research or consult a doc? it's not that hard. this guy took like 3 different things and was in really bad shape... i'm just saying, be more careful out there.
It's crazy to think that this guy was basically running his body into the ground with all those herbal supplements. I mean, four times a day is just ridiculous! 
The fact that he almost died from his own body shutting down is just wild. His case should be a huge wake-up call for people to be more mindful of what they're putting in their bodies. We need more awareness about the risks of these unregulated supplements, especially since some of them contain hidden dangers like glucocorticoids. The FDA needs to do more to regulate these things and make sure people are aware of the potential risks. It's just not worth it, you know? 
i mean i know some ppl swear by 'em but come on it's just not worth the risk especially with all these hidden glucocorticoids 
i'm glad he made it out alive tho 
but let this be a warning to everyone else: if you're gonna take any supplement, do your research and make sure it's legit or consult with a doc first 
that's just crazy. the docs are right, though, clinicians need to be super careful about these kinds of supplements and make sure patients know the risks before they start using them.
This whole thing is just crazy! I mean, can you even imagine taking something that's supposed to be helping your joints and then it literally shuts down your entire body? It's like the ultimate cautionary tale. I'm not surprised at all that he ended up in such a bad state - those supplements sound super sketchy 
. The FDA needs to step up its warnings and public awareness campaigns - this is just not right 
with those herbal supplements 
. And to think he had no idea about the risks involved 
. It's like he thought he was taking a vitamin or something 
. But let me tell you, not all supplements are created equal 
. You gotta be careful out there... especially when it comes to glucocorticoids 
? No way, Jose 
. The FDA's warnings were a long time coming, if you ask me 
. Public awareness needs to step up and take some responsibility for their own health decisions 
. That poor guy could've been fine if he just stuck with what his doctor told him to do 
. Stay safe out there, folks! 
my heart goes out to this guy & his fam 
but yeah let's just say be careful w/ those herbal supplements, pls 
i mean what if the pills were actually killing him instead of helping 
this is just crazy what happened to that guy 
its amazing how one pill can mess up your whole body I mean i get it, people want to try alternative cures for their joint pain or whatever but come on be smart about it research the ingredients before you start chomping away 
. The FDA needs to step up their game and make sure these things are properly tested before they hit the market 
, but come on, be smart about it! Do your research, know what you're getting into, and for goodness' sake, don't overdo it 
. It's a simple precaution that could save lives... or in this case, nearly took one 
... six whole weeks of suffering! At least he's alive now, but it's just a huge cautionary tale about the dangers of unregulated supplements