Health Functional Foods Taken for Wellness... Risk of Acute Hepatitis?

Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Recalls All Health Functional Foods Linked to Liver-Related Adverse Events

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Commissioner Oh Yu-kyoung) announced in a press release distributed on the morning of September 23 that it has decided to recall a health functional food product made from Garcinia Cambogia extract, after two cases of liver-related adverse events were reported. The recall was implemented following a review by the Health Functional Food Review Committee.

Additionally, the Ministry plans to add a consumer notice to the "precautions for consumption" of Garcinia Cambogia extract, stating, "In rare cases, it may cause harm to the liver, and alcohol consumption should be avoided during the intake period."

The Ministry explained that, although tests on the product and its raw materials found no items that failed to meet standards or specifications, the Health Functional Food Review Committee determined that the likelihood of a causal relationship between the product and the adverse events following alcohol consumption was very high, posing a threat to consumer health. Therefore, the product was recalled as of September 23.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of liver tissue and can be caused by viruses such as hepatitis A, B, and C, as well as by alcohol, drugs, or toxic plants. Acute hepatitis presents symptoms within six months and can be treated relatively quickly, whereas chronic hepatitis requires long-term treatment.

Hepatitis is classified as acute if it lasts less than six months, and as chronic if it persists for more than six months. Symptoms of acute hepatitis include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, mild fever, queasiness, and jaundice. Chronic hepatitis may present with no symptoms or with chronic debilitating symptoms such as fatigue, general malaise, persistent or intermittent jaundice, loss of appetite, and can progress to end-stage liver failure.

Diagnosis is made through blood tests, liver function tests, and ultrasound. Acute hepatitis can often resolve naturally with sufficient rest and nutrition, but chronic hepatitis requires treatment based on its cause.

Kim Kyunghoon, head of internal medicine at Ulsan Elijah Hospital, emphasized, "It is difficult to detect hepatitis early based on symptoms alone, and if acute hepatitis progresses to chronic hepatitis, the risk of developing liver cirrhosis or liver cancer increases, so prompt treatment is necessary. If you are generally healthy, rather than relying on unnecessary medications or folk remedies, it is better to follow preventive guidelines such as hand hygiene and, if you experience symptoms, visit a nearby hospital for accurate diagnosis and treatment to protect your liver health."

Recently, health functional foods have become popular among consumers due to their affordability and the perception that they help manage health. These foods are manufactured and processed using functional ingredients beneficial to the human body or nutrients that are difficult to obtain from meals alone, and are intended to promote health.

As life expectancy increases and interest in health grows, there has been a surge in demand for health functional foods such as red ginseng, ginseng, probiotics, and vitamins. A variety of products related to dieting, sexual dysfunction, and stress are also being launched and sold.

Especially with Chuseok approaching, more consumers are choosing health functional foods as gifts each year. Since it is often difficult to distinguish health functional foods from pharmaceuticals or general foods, consumers can easily be misled. Therefore, it is important to carefully review and check the information provided on product labels.

Kim advised, "Before consuming health functional foods, be sure to check for the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety certification mark, ensure that there are no overlapping ingredients with medications or other health functional foods you are taking, and do not exceed the recommended daily intake. It is also important to understand that health functional foods are different from medications used to treat diseases. If you have any existing medical conditions, consult your primary physician before taking dietary supplements."

Consumers can check information on precautions for health functional foods on the Food Safety Korea website and report any adverse events that occur during consumption through the same platform.