A father of the New Jersey of five warns people not to take herbal supplements after being fought for his life because of a liver injury that he thinks was caused by the remedy.
Robert Grafton, 54, had taken several natural supplements in an attempt to improve his health, including one with turmeric in it.
At the beginning of March, the former radiology technology added something new to his regime – a turmeric -based liquid supplement. He had advertised it to improve the health of the liver on social media.
A week later, however, Grafton noticed that his urine had become dark, he felt nauseous, lost his appetite and was constantly itching.
Because he believed that his deteriorating health was bound to the supplements, he stopped consuming them and went to the hospital for fear that he was suffering from liver failure.
Testing revealed that he had a liverlets or dili caused by drugs, which caused damage to his liver because of his excessive turmeric.
A dili is often caused by any form of medication or supplement that claims to promote or reduce muscle growth. These types of supplements often contain similar ingredients that can harm the liver when they are consumed excess.
Robert Grafton, 54, a father of the New Jersey-van-Fijf warns people about taking ‘herbs’ supplements after being fought for his life because of a rare liver injury
Grafton told NBC: ‘My liver enzymes were super raised, my bilirubin (a yellowish pigment produced after breakdown of red blood cells) was really high – all signs of liver failure.
‘I almost broke, including my wife. At that time I thought the liver cancer, pancreatic cancer or something.
“It turns out that I had something that was called a liver injury caused by drugs that came from my supplements.”
The liver is responsible for numerous physical functions, including filtering blood, processing nutrients and detoxifying the body of harmful substances, such as alcohol and drugs.
It is also responsible for supporting the immune system, the clotting of blood and the production of bile, a liquid that helps to digest fats and absorb nutrients.
However, sometimes excessive consumption of ultra-concentrated supplements, whether they are of natural ingredients or that made chemical, cause an injury if the liver is unable to filter them effectively from the body, so that they are built up in toxic quantities.
Dr. Dina Halegoua-de Marzio, a hepatologist who treated Grafton, said NBC: ‘I think people assume that these things are safe.
“The main reason why we see people who take these are for good health or to supplement their health and so I don’t think they realize that there is a real risk here.”
She noted that, although Grafton had stopped taking supplements after he had noticed that he was sick, a turmeric overload had already taken place in his body and caused an injury.
Grafton took turmeric pills that contain 2,250 milligrams of curcumin, a fabric that comes from the root of the turmeric and black pepper extract.
Although it remains unclear which turmeric-filled supplement that took grave, contains an average turmeric and curcumin supplement tablet that has been brought in common convenience stores 500 mg of the herb.
Experts claim that a daily consumption of less than 2,000 mg of turmeric is considered safe via supplements.
Shown: Dr. Dina Hallegoua-de Marzio, a Jefferson Health-Hepatologist who treated Grafton
Although it remains unclear which turmeric-filled supplement has taken grafton, an average turmeric and curcumin supplement tablet contains 500 milligrams of the herb
Dr. Hallegoua-de Marzio said: ‘If you cook with turmeric, it can be really safe. But some supplements are now 2,000 mg plus, which is a very high dose of turmeric.
‘In combination with black pepper, the liver must now break that supplement and it is not possible. It can really make it sick. ‘
Numerous studies have shown that turmeric can improve liver health by reducing inflammation, reducing the accumulation of fat and detoxifying the organ.
However, other studies suggest that natural supplements made with turmeric can also cause serious liver injury.
A peer -reviewed study from 2010 showed that more than 40,000 Americans report liver damage annually as a result of medicines and supplements – of which more than 2,000 die because of the severity of their condition.
But despite scientific evidence, herb supplements continue to become more popular.
A JAMA network study from 2024 showed that Turmeric is the most used supplement in the US, followed by green tea extract, Ashwagandha, Garcinia Cambogia, Red yeast rice and Black Cohosh.
The researchers discovered that 15.6 million Americans take supplements that contain at least one of these six botanicals – usually without the advice of a doctor.
The Food and Drug Administration regards herb supplements as nutritional supplements and controls, supervises or does not approve them.
That is why it is impossible for consumers to know whether they actually consume what is being advertised or whether it is safe.
In April 2025, Jenny Ramirez, liver failure she had linked to methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), an ingredient in a common freely available vitamin that claims to improve her, skin and nail health
Grafton is not the only person who suffers from Dili or Serious Liver Damage as a result of a supplement.
In April 2025, Jenny Ramirez, liver failure, experienced due to a typical harmless ingredient called methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), that is common vitamins that claim to improve hair, skin and nail health.
Research has shown that MSM is generally benign and even protective against liver damage.
However, some scientists have said that MSM could worsen liver damage in people with existing liver disease, although research and data are limited.
Yet Ramirez became jaundice, with yellowing skin and eyes. She also had to undergo surgery to remove her gallbladder because of hard deposits that were built there, which blocked the bile flow by the liver and gallbladder.
And in 2023, a 45-year-old woman appeared to suffer from herbal injury caused by herbal supplements after complaining about stomach pain and nausea by consuming her herbal tea for three days to improve immunity.
More than 40,000 Americans report liver damage annually due to medicines and supplements
Responding doctors noted that she had no signs of jaundice, had a non-tender belly and showed signs of liver infection such as hepatitis A.
But after a series of tests and exams, they discovered that the presence of Reishi Mushroom, Aloe Vera and Siberian ginseng – all natural herbs – had caused her pain.
As far as Grafton was concerned, after he found out that he had a liver injury, Grafton said that his blood test was normal again within a few weeks after stopping the supplements.
Extra tests do not reveal permanent damage to his liver.
He said: ‘The whole push with that is that you get a super high, concentrated dose of turmeric and dandelion root and milk thistle, of which I have always known from my medical past, is good for the health of the liver.
“It all sounded good, I thought I did enough.”
Because he added to his experience: “I don’t take any supplements at all.”
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