The wife of the US Congressman died after taking herbs, experts reveal dietary supplements and herbs risks

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a non-profit media dedicated to providing health information, especially medical policies. It published Congressman’s Wife Died After Taking Herbal Remedy Marketed for Diabetes and Weight Loss the day before yesterday (2022-8-24).

KHN learned that the wife of a Northern California National Assembly died late last year after taking a plant that is usually considered safe, which was used as herbicide for a variety of diseases including diabetes, obesity and high calcisterol.

According to a report dated March 10 by the Sagamad County Experimental Officer, Lori, died of gastritis and was dehydrated due to taking white mulberry leaves. The date of the original death certificate is December 20, 2021.

According to the report of the Experimental Officer, Tom McClintock, a Republican, representing several county in northern and central California, found on December 15, 2021 at his home in Elk Grove, California that his 61-year-old wife was not responding.

Lori's death highlights the risks of a large and booming dietary supplement and herbs market that have developed into a $54 billion industry in the U.S. — — lawmakers and medical health experts say the industry needs more government supervision.

U.S. participant Richard Durbin said at the meeting room this spring: "Many people think that if the product is sold in the United States, it will be checked and it must be safe. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily true."

The leaves and fruits of the white mulberry tree are originally from China and have been used in traditional medicine for several centuries. Over the past decade, academic research has found that extracts in its leaves can lower blood sugar levels and help reduce fat. People can also use the leaves as capsules or pills to make the leaves into herbs.

Lori's reaction seems to be unusual. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Poison Control Association, poison control officials have not received any reports of death caused by Bai Mang in the past 10 years.

Kaitlyn Brown, the co-clinic permanent director of the association, said that since 2012, 148 cases of white mulberry have been reported to national drug control officials, most of which involve accidental intakes of children aged 12 and under. She said there was only one case that required medical visits.

Although the poison control center tracks cases of taking white mulberry, dietary supplements are supervised by the FDA, and they rely heavily on self-reports from medical and healthcare professionals and consumers. According to the database that tracks "adverse events", two cases of illness due to taking mulberry supplements have been reported to the FDA since 2004, at least one of which has resulted in hospitalization.

According to research, white mulberry leaf may have side effects, including distraction and abdominal distension. An independent laboratory test ordered by the lab of the lab office showed an increase in nitrogen, cord and creatinine levels in Lori's body. According to the review of the three pathologists' documents, all of them are signs of efflux. Michelle DuPre, a retired judiciologist and former judiciary in South Carolina, said: "White mulberry leaves can cause efflux, and part of their use may be to help reduce fat, which is mainly lost through fluids. In this case, this is a bit overdose." Dietary supplements, including a variety of vitamins, herbs and minerals, are subject to FDA supervision. However, they are classified as food without the government's strict scientific and safety tests of both prescription and non-prescription drugs.

Lawmakers have not proposed to include supplements and drugs in the same category, but some say they worry that neither the FDA nor the industry knows how many dietary supplements are, making it almost impossible for the government to supervise them and punish bad people.

FDA estimates that 40,000 to 80,000 supplement products are available in the U.S. market, and industry surveys estimate that 80% of Americans use them.

Because fattening drugs, teas and other supplements are foods, not medicines, manufacturers cannot promote them as treatments or cures for health problems. But they can say how supplements affect the body. Therefore, people who want to lose weight or control diabetes may get a bottle of white mulberry leaf extract because some replenishing manufacturers promote natural medicines that can lower blood sugar levels and promote fat loss.

Registered nutritionists, nutritionists and nutrition and dietary association spokesperson Debbie Petitpain said these statements are attractive to Americans and are especially effective during the COVID-19 pandemic as people try to strengthen their immune systems and fight against the coronavirus.

But dietary supplements can be dangerous and will not affect everyone in the same way. According to the FDA, mixing supplements and prescription drugs can make the problem more complicated.

Petitpain said, "I think a lot of people are thinking, 'Oh, it's a plant.' Or, 'Oh, it's just a vitamin. Of course, that means it doesn't hurt me." But taking any supplements is risky. ”

Original text: The wife of the National Assembly died after taking herbs