Green tea is supposed to be good for us, right? A metabolism boosting drink filled with\u00a0powerful antioxidant properties? Green tea is\u00a0a good choice of beverage for those wanting to get healthier isn’t it? \u00a0Well, you might be surprised to hear that there are some very scary cases in the news recently that are shaking a lot of green tea drinkers up.<\/p>\n
<\/a>A recent case study in the British Medical Journal reports\u00a0that a 16-year-old girl suffering from symptoms of nausea, joint pain, and non-specific abdominal pain visited her physician. The doctor did not feel it was serious and sent her home stating she may just have a minor infection. When she did not get better and her symptoms worsened, she went to the ER. By the time she arrived in the ER she was jaundiced as well.<\/p>\n The girl explained that she had recently started drinking green tea she purchased online to help her lose weight. Citing she had only lost a few pounds when she started to experience horrid pains in her joints. She also felt very dizzy and sick the study reported. The teen was admitted to the hospital and put through a battery of tests.<\/p>\n Test results revealed she had acute hepatitis, or an inflamed liver. She was lucky because once the cause was found, she was given intravenous fluids and medication that let her quickly recover. She also stopped drinking the tea. While the tea she purchased was not tested, doctors theorized that the tea itself could have contained the materials that affected her liver function. While doctors said for the most part green tea is predominantly very safe and healthy to drink with the benefit of antioxidant properties, the danger may be\u00a0in the additives.<\/p>\n These additives can be chemicals or other ingredients that can cause hepatotoxicity which is chemical-driven liver damage. They said this is especially true in teas made and marketed especially for weight loss. These teas in loose and bag varieties are being sold online through major online retailers and other sources. They have become quite popular with\u00a0those looking to lose weight or detox their bodies. \u00a0It actually appears a natural and safe way to slim down\u00a0but as shown here,\u00a0could have dire consequences. Beyond additives, pesticides used in growing the tea leaves could also be a culprit in liver disease.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Dr. Donna Seger, head of the Tennessee Poison Center in Nashville, said she’s always concerned when people buy herbal supplements or tea over the Internet without knowing much about where it came from.\u00a0“I think there are still tons of people who don\u2019t realize that because it\u2019s natural,” doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you,<\/strong> Seger said of unlisted herbs or other materials in products. “They can have very significant toxicity.”Seger said people often turn to herbal supplements for weight loss and body building and that the liver, used to filter out toxins, is often the first organ to signal something is wrong.<\/p>\n The teen said she will never buy any online tea or weight-loss pills online again.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n A New York Times Article told the story of \u00a017-year-old Christopher Herrera. \u00a0Christopher was using a concentrated green tea extract that he bought at a nutrition store as a “fat burning” supplement. \u00a0However the effects on Christopher were life-threatening. When he went to the ER at Texas Children’s Hospital with his chest, face and eyes bright yellow it was determined he was suffering from severe liver damage from taking the supplement. The damage was so severe he was put on the waiting list for a liver transplant.<\/p>\n Christopher was terrified, this high school student from Katy, Texas was focused on the fact he needed a new liver and the possibility of his body rejecting it. Even with the best surgeons trying to comfort him it was gut wrenching. Research is showing us that Christopher’s case is not an isolated occurrence. Nutritional supplements account for nearly 20 percent of drug related liver issues that are seen in hospitals. This is up 13% from just a decade ago. Since this study only had data from the most severe cases of liver damage, investigators believe the actual number of cases is even higher.<\/p>\nGreen Tea Extract Supplements Causing Severe Liver Damage?<\/h2>\n