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Turmeric caused liver pain

2Cor.12:19

Senior Member
Messages
280
I’m not 100% sure about this but I took 1000 mg turmeric daily for about 5 years. A couple years ago I developed a knawing off and on pain in my upper right side and was sent to a gastroenterologist. They did abdominal scans and liver tests and said I had fatty liver. I lost weight and made some diet changes but the pain was still there.

Then I began reading cases of people developing liver problems from Turmeric so I stopped taking it.
It’s been about 6 months since I quit taking it and I rarely have pain in my side. I suspect the turmeric may have been the culprit.

Anyone else experience this?
 

cheeseater

Senior Member
Messages
184

2Cor.12:19

Senior Member
Messages
280
Why were you taking 1000mg turmeric/day? ]
My rheumatologist recommended it for pain due to fibromyalgia and ME/CFS. I assumed it was helpful for that but haven’t noticed any increase in pain since stopping it. The only thing that has really helped with pain is low dose Naltrexone. I’d just as soon not take anything that’s not working anyway.
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,385
Location
Southern California
@2Cor.12:19 - there are reports of turmeric causing liver problems (Turmeric Induced Liver Injury: A Report of Two Cases (hindawi.com) though of course it has also been recommended to treat fatty liver. I think it's telling that your side pain pretty much stopped since stopping the turmeric. Many years ago I had problems with my liver (toxin overload) and I had pain in my upper right side along with a poisoned feeling - eventually did a liver detox and started taking milk thistle, also had to start taking betaine HCL with meals (found I was low in stomach acid) and it's been good ever since.

It's possible there may have been some type of contaminant or additive in your turmeric supplement which hurt your liver. Anyways, since it didn't seem to help your pain anyway, I'd stay away from it too.