The indiscriminate use of teas and herbs increases the chances of serious liver problems, according to the Brazilian Society of Hepatology.
Regarding acute liver failure, 26% of cases in the country are caused by DILI, known as Drug Induced Liver Injury, which are due to the excessive use of drugs or supplements. Already 34% of patients develop problems by HILI, or Herbal Induced Liver Injury, which are due to the consumption of herbs in an exacerbated way or without a doctor’s prescription.
Hepatologist Raimundo Paraná, a member of the Brazilian Society of Hepatology, has been doing research on hepatotoxicity. He points out that, since the beginning of humanity, teas and herbs have always been widely used. He recalls that in the 70s there was already talk about toxicity due to teas and this use has increased over the years.
According to him, many promise effects such as rapid weight loss or the solution of some disease, but, in fact, end up causing serious liver diseases.
“Today, the topic is studied more, but many people use these teas indiscriminately. In the 1970s, in Bahia, there was an outbreak of a serious liver disease called veno-occlusive disease of the liver caused by Maria Preta herb tea. Then we had in other states another outbreak associated with comfrey tea. Then we had it in the Amazon for Sacaca,” he explained.
The doctor points out that the dissemination of untrue information disseminated on social networks has contributed to the increase in cases and the return of the use of some substances.
“In Brazil, there have always been diseases related to the use of herbs and medicines, but they have increased exponentially in recent times. Initially due to the internet, which ended up spreading a lot of false advertising about the use of medicines and teas, herbal medicines and formulas as miraculous”, explained the doctor.
One of the substances he draws attention to the dangers is present in green tea.
“Green tea, for example, has a substance called catechin. If it is concentrated, it deals damage. It causes the death of liver cells. When you drink green tea with water, you may not have any problems, now if it is in a capsule, it may have much more content, a thousand times more catechin, depending on how it was manipulated and how it was placed in that capsule.”
Student Isabella Morais, 34, decided to use teas to lose weight. She used recipes she saw on the internet for a period of three months and lost almost the 7 kg she gained in the last two years. She started having several side effects and decided to stop using it.
“I had some of these teas 2-3 times a week. Sometimes I felt cramping and even diarrhea. After I discovered how harmful it was, I stopped,” she said.
The symptoms presented by her, according to the specialist, are very common and may indicate that there is already a health problem associated with the use.
“Some patients may have a little nausea. He usually stops using it himself. Others go to the doctor, tests show elevated liver enzymes and the patient is told to stop using. In 10% of cases the patient is more symptomatic. The patient has more yellow eyes, dark urine. We call it hepatitis or cholestasis. A small percentage of patients have a form called fulminant hepatitis where there is acute destruction of liver cells. It does not have regeneration conditions in 70% of these cases. In that case, the patient either dies or goes for a liver transplant.”
Hepatologist Melina Torres observed a trend of patients who did not seek adequate care, especially in the last two years, and when they returned they already had an advanced condition. Some made use of teas and anabolic steroids in the period.
“I was with people who already had diseases and stopped following up, which generated an increase in the diagnosis of advanced stage liver cancer and an increase in patients with decompensated liver disease”, explained the doctor.
According to data from the Brazilian Society of Hepatology, 73% of people diagnosed with liver cancer in Brazil are already at an advanced stage of the disease. The lack of essential routine tests for the diagnosis contributes to this high rate.
The recommendation of specialists is to perform imaging tests at least every six months. Regarding the use of teas and other substances, the doctor advises that it is always ideal to look for a specialist and avoid the promises that are on the Internet.
“They sell treatment promises that have no scientific backing and that absolutely do not do what they promise or, if they do, it comes at a very high cost to the patient’s health. And this cost is usually omitted at the time of prescription”, warned Raimundo Paraná.
Source: CNN Brasil
