Malaysian Medical Resources

ScienceDaily is reporting High Arsenic Levels Found In Herbal Kelp Supplements

A study of herbal kelp supplements led by UC Davis public health expert Marc Schenker concludes that its medicinal use may cause inadvertent arsenic poisoning and health dangers for consumers, especially when overused. Schenker and two researchers evaluated nine over-the-counter herbal kelp products and found higher than acceptable arsenic levels in eight of them.
The new study, published in the April issue of Environmental Health Perspectives was prompted by the case of a 54-year-old woman who was seen at the UC Davis Occupational Medicine Clinic following a two-year history of worsening alopecia (hair loss), fatigue and memory loss.

Ironic indeed for such supplements which claim to improve “vitality and good health”. It’s worrisome that even the FDA is somewhat impotent

“Part of the problem,” said Schenker, is that the FDA has limited control over dietary supplements. It can’t scrutinize products like herbal kelp before they enter the market, so it has to rely on adverse reports to determine product safety

I don’t know how how popular herbal kelp is in Malaysia but be warned. If the FDA can’t even keep track of all these products, can you imagine the situation here?

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