Existing Conditions
Natural remedies and existing health conditions: liver disease, bleeding, heart and blood pressure, hormone-sensitive conditions, autoimmune disorders, cancer and HIV treatment, diabetes, and what we could not verify for kidney disease.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
If you have a medical condition, ask your clinician before adding any herb or supplement. The table lists cautions that a source states; not being on the list does not mean a remedy is safe.
| Condition | Remedy and caution | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Liver disease or liver risk | Rare, sometimes severe acute liver damage reported with supplements; kava linked to liver injury; bioavailable curcumin formulations linked to liver damage; black cohosh concerns; Asian ginseng uncommon liver damage. See Liver safety. | [1][2][3][4][5] |
| Bleeding disorders, or taking blood thinners | Ginkgo and garlic supplements may increase bleeding risk; Asian ginseng may interfere with clotting | [6][7][5] |
| High blood pressure, heart or kidney conditions | Licorice glycyrrhizin can cause irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest, and even small amounts have been linked to severe adverse effects in people who consume a lot of salt, who have hypertension, or heart or kidney conditions | [8] |
| Hormone-sensitive conditions (breast or uterine cancer) | Uncertain whether black cohosh is safe | [4] |
| Autoimmune disorders | Asian ginseng may worsen autoimmune disorders | [5] |
| Cancer or HIV treatment | Growing concern that supplements may interfere with effectiveness; St. John's wort lowers levels of some cancer and HIV medicines | [9][10] |
| Type 2 diabetes (metformin) | Goldenseal extract reduced metformin levels about 25% in healthy adults | [10] |
| Depression and other conditions treated with serotonin drugs | St. John's wort can increase serotonin-related side effects | [11] |
| Kidney disease | Proper evidence was not found in the sources we could read. NIH's ODS pages were blocked from our system. A 2001 FDA warning about aristolochic acid in botanical products is reported by trade press only; check FDA directly. | [12] |
| Swallowing problems | Large vitamin pills have caused emergency visits | [1] |
Before any change
Tell every provider. Bring a checklist.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Using Dietary Supplements Wisely. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Kava: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Turmeric: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Black Cohosh: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Asian Ginseng: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Ginkgo: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Garlic: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Licorice Root: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Know the Science: Talk With Your Health Care Providers. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Know the Science: Some Supplements May Decrease the Effects of Medications. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). St. John's Wort: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.
- Office of Dietary Supplements (NIH). Fact sheets. Access was blocked (HTTP 403) from our system on 2026-10-22; we did not read it and cite nothing from it.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.