Food authorities are investigating a popular health supplement over fears it could damage the thyroid and liver.
The product, ashwagandha, is an herb found in India and the Middle East and has long been used in folk medicine there.
It has gained increasing popularity in Britain over the past decade due to claims that it can reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.
Celebrity shoppers include Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez and Meghan Markle.
It is often sold in tablets, gummies, and water-soluble powder, which are regularly promoted by social media influencers on TikTok and Instagram.
A jar of ashwagandha gummies. Food authorities are investigating this popular health supplement over fears it may harm the liver and thyroid.
Celebrities who use the drug include the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.
However, last month the Food Standards Agency (FSA) announced it was gathering evidence on the safety of taking ashwagandha.
The FSA said that in the UK, there are “no established safe levels or set limits” on how much ashwagandha can be used in supplements.
He said the supplement had been linked to “thyroid toxicity” and “possible liver toxicity.”
The FSA added that ashwagandha may also affect “thyroid hormone levels” and have “hypoglycaemic effects”, meaning it could cause blood sugar levels to drop.
The FSA has asked experts and companies selling ashwaganda to provide any evidence they have about the safety of the supplement.
Ashwagandha roots and powder. The drug has gained popularity due to claims that it can reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.
London-based nutritionist Elizabeth Montgomery said: “As with any supplement you take, you need to be careful. Ashwagandha has been used for thousands of years and has been shown to help combat stress.”
‘But taking too much can also have a negative effect on the body and cause various problems.
‘That’s why it’s important that we have an upper limit on what can be added to supplements.
“They need to be properly regulated because people don’t understand how they work, especially when they are combined.”
