High Doses Of Phytochemicals In Teas And Supplements Could Be Unhealthy

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High Doses Of Phytochemicals In Teas And Supplements Could Be Unhealthy

Article Date: 05 May 2007 - 18:00 PDT

Those phytochemicals - natural plant-based compounds that give fruits and

vegetables a reputation as healthy food - could be unhealthy if consumed in high

doses in dietary supplements, teas or other preparations, scientists in New

Jersey have concluded after a review of studies on the topic.

In their article, scheduled for the current issue of ACS's Chemical Research in

Toxicology, a monthly journal, Chung S. Yang and colleagues analyze available

data on the toxic potential of polyphenols. That group of dietary phytochemicals

includes flavonoids, whose suggested beneficial effects in fruits and vegetables

include prevention of heart disease and cancer. The data was from studies done

in humans and laboratory animals.

The report cites specific examples of toxic effects, including reports of liver,

kidney, and intestinal toxicity related to consumption of high doses of green

tea-based dietary supplements. The risk of such toxicity may be greater in

individuals taking certain medications, or with genetic traits, that increase

the bioavailability of phytochemicals, the researchers said. Citing the need for

new studies on the topic, the report concludes: " Only when such data are

compared to the evidence for beneficial health effects can a balanced judgment

be made regarding the potential utility of these compounds for disease

prevention and treatment. "

ARTICLE #3 " Possible Controversy over Dietary Polyphenols: Benefits vs. Risks "

CONTACT:

Chung S. Yang, Ph.D.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Piscataway, NJ 08854