Over the past three decades, our engagement with dietary supplements has evolved into a significant phenomenon, with over 50% of adults in the United States now relying on supplements to address a variety of health concerns and emotional challenges.  On platforms like TikTok, influencers are popularizing berberine as a means to “boost” metabolism, while celebrities endorse sea moss for digestive wellness, and biohackers are consuming metformin for its purported anti-aging effects. 

While supplements might appear to offer an easy path to improved mood or fitness, recent studies indicate that these products can potentially do more harm than good. In the last 25 years, there has been a noticeable increase in cases of liver damage and failure associated with supplement consumption. Additionally, individuals are experiencing a growing range of side effects, such as mood fluctuations, digestive problems, fatigue, kidney stones, hair loss, and elevated blood pressure.

This concerning trend can be attributed to three primary factors: the prevalence of supplements containing especially harmful ingredients, dangerous interactions with other medications, and a practice known as “megadosing,” which involves exceeding the recommended dosages.

(5 important facts to consider before using supplements.)

“People are actively searching for the magic solution, the fountain of youth—something that can easily be ingested to slow aging or avert chronic diseases,” states JoAnn Manson, a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School, as well as an epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts.