Embargoed for Release Until: Sunday, October 11, 1998, 6:00 p.m. Contact: Dana Victor Montenegro 202/973-5871 or [email protected]
New Report Links Exotic Teas and Everyday Seafood Meals with Severe GI Symptoms
Boston, MA, October 11, 1998 -- A report on the hazards of some herbal teas and potential toxicity of foods was presented to the 63rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology by Martin E. Gordon, M.D., FACG, a researcher with the Yale School of Medicine. Many herbal hybrids sold freely as digestive aids, aphrodisiacs, and slimming preparations may produce multi-system illness. In fact, Dr. Gordon notes that physicians probing elusive gastrointestinal symptoms might question a patient's exposure to potential food toxins.
Seemingly benign products like tea can cause complications. For example:
-- Kombucha mushroom tea can lead to metabolic acidosis or aspergillus (a fungal infection).
-- Germander, Comfry, and Gordo-lobo teas have been associated with dangerous liver toxins (i.e., pyrrolizdine alkaloids).
-- Chapparel tea is linked to hepatic failure.
-- Paraguay tea may lead to a change in mental status.
-- Transmission of at least eight species of salmonellosis by herbal teas has been documented.
Many reactions to food toxins or bacterial contamination can masquerade as other problems, such as the following:
-- Red snapper, grouper, sea bass and other reef fish may be associated with the bizarre neuroparalytic signs of ciguartera toxicity.
-- Sushi has been linked to such serious problems as viscus perforation or pancreatitis, and may be relieved by the endoscopic removal of anisakis larva boring into the stomach lining.
-- The consumption of mussels tainted with toxic domoic acid may lead to abnormal neurologic signs.
-- Estuary water and oysters can become contaminated with vibrio vulnificus (a bacteria common to shellfish) and cause sepsis, leg ulcers and obscure fever.
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