CNN
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Lori McClintock died in what the Sacramento County Corner determined was an accident. A section of the form asking the coroner to “describe how he was injured” states “white mulberry leaf ingested by subject.” Death after eating this leaf was “abnormal”. According to experts.
He died in December at the age of 61. Her husband, Rep. Tom McClintock, a conservative Republican representing Northern California, found her unresponsive inside her locked home.
Coroner’s office documents dated March 10 listed her cause of death as dehydration from gastroenteritis and “adverse effects of ingesting white mulberry leaves.”
It is unknown why she ingested the leaves. It is also unknown how she consumed it. The Congressman’s office in Washington, D.C. did not respond to an emailed request for comment by CNN. At the time, her family statement posted on the congressman’s Facebook page made no mention of her cause of death.
Some drink white mulberry leaf tea, while others take it in the form of a supplement that comes in both capsule and liquid form.
The plant is native to parts of India and China and has been used by practitioners of natural medicine for thousands of years. This theory has been tested by a small number of small studies showing that participants lost some weight. However, further research is needed.
Some studies have also tested whether lowering insulin levels can help diabetes. Other studies have shown that it lowered cholesterol in animal studies. , is not large enough to determine whether white mulberry plants have these effects.
The day before McClintock died, she complained of an upset stomach, reports say.
Studies show that consuming white mulberry berries can cause gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, cramps, bloating, and gas.
Most symptoms usually appear “pretty mild,” says Caitlin Brown, clinical managing director of the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
“In general, white mulberry as a plant is fairly safe, with a low degree and risk of toxicity to humans,” Brown said.
Brown said the poison control line had been getting calls about the plant over the years.
From 2018 to the end of December 2021, they experienced 100 single substance intakes of white mulberry plant. Of those 100, about 89% were accidental to his children under the age of 12.
“Most of these exposures were either judged to be non-toxic by the experts who managed the cases, or were expected to have rather minimal symptoms, with only 5 out of 100 patients reported symptoms, and they’re pretty mild,” Brown said.
There were no reports of life-threatening symptoms or deaths.
Brown said there are limits to what science knows about overdose. There are studies in which patients have taken it as a supplement, she said, which lists side effects such as bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, and some constipation. it was done.
“No life-threatening symptoms have ever been reported,” Brown said.
It’s unclear why this plant was implicated in McClintock’s death, but Dr. Josh Trebaka medical toxicologist and emergency room doctor, said his profession has common phrases.
“The dosage is the poison,” says Trebach. “This goes for things like water and ketchup. I have.”
There’s a limit to what people can know about what’s in a dietary supplement if that’s the form McClintock has taken.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates supplements as “traditional” foods, not drugs, so any form of consumption, such as supplements or teas, is not monitored as closely as pharmaceuticals. .
Companies that manufacture dietary supplements are not required to register their products with the FDA. Supplement companies are also not required to provide premarket safety or efficacy data.The FDA has cracked down on companies mixing their supplements with actual medicines.
“So it’s not out of the realm of all sorts of dietary supplement possibilities,” Brown said.
The Natural Products Association, which advocates for the supplement industry, did not return requests for comment.
Brown said it’s important for people to remember what was described as “natural” when cases like this occur, and that it’s not always safe.
“Although they are considered natural products, they can still be dangerous if used in the wrong dose or in the wrong patient.” If so, it is always recommended that you weigh your personal risks and benefits with your primary health care provider.”
She also said that if anyone has taken a product and feels unwell, they can always call the Poison Helpline Experts at 1-800-222-1222 for confidential help or visit poisonhelp.org. I said I could do it.
“It reminds me of a patient I used to talk to. He saw a news article about white mulberry leaves and was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m taking white mulberry leaves, and this happened to me.’ Is it going to happen?’ They call the Poison Center. We just talk about what they’re going through. We’re a very helpful resource and this kind of situation.”
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