Katie Mohan thought she was doing something good for her body. Like millions of others, the 57-year-old from New Jersey had seen a doctor on Instagram rave about turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties. Joint pain and inflammation are common issues, and turmeric—a golden spice rooted in ancient wellness practices—seemed like a natural fix. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a bit, it turns out.After weeks of taking megadoses of turmeric supplements—2,250 mg a day, more than ten times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit—Katie landed in the hospital with severe liver damage. Her case isn't isolated, and it raises urgent questions about how unregulated supplement use is silently harming thousands, especially when mixed with misleading online wellness claims.Katie began taking turmeric capsules for general inflammation after seeing health advice from a popular wellness influencer. Like many, she believed that “natural” meant “safe”—especially when compared to synthetic medications.But the problem wasn’t turmeric itself—it was the dose. According to WHO guidelines, a safe upper limit is around 204 mg a day for someone who weighs 150 pounds. Mohan was taking more than ten times that, unaware of the toxic potential.Within weeks, her body started sending distress signals: stomach pain, fatigue, nausea, and dark urine. Classic signs of acute liver injury.Blood tests revealed her liver enzymes were 60 times the normal level—a severe red flag for hepatologists. At NYU Langone Hospital, her specialist, Dr. Nikolaos Pyrsopoulos, told NBC News she was “one step away from needing a liver transplant.”TurmericTurmeric has long been celebrated in both traditional medicine and modern wellness for its active compound, curcumin, known for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and possibly even anticancer properties. It's generally safe in culinary amounts—think curries, teas, or golden lattes.But here's the twist- supplements aren’t the same as food. When curcumin is extracted, concentrated, and supercharged—often with black pepper (piperine) to increase absorption—it becomes a potent bioactive agent. Piperine can boost turmeric absorption by 2,000%, making curcumin flood the body in ways our systems weren’t designed to handle.While curcumin toxicity is rare, the increasing concentration and frequency of supplement use has changed the equation. Doctors now say turmeric is among the most common herbal causes of liver injury in the U.S.Katie’s case isn’t an anomaly. According to a 2024 study published in JAMA Network Open, cases of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) caused by herbal and dietary supplements nearly tripled between 2004 and 2014 and the trend is still rising.Lack of regulation. Unlike pharmaceuticals, supplements aren't held to the same safety standards. Doses aren’t standardized. Labels are often vague. And consumers are left to self-diagnose and self-medicate—usually based on hearsay, trends, or influencers. Among the most commonly implicated supplements are:TurmericGreen tea extractAshwagandhaGarcinia cambogiaRed yeast riceBlack cohoshCombined, these six supplements are used by over 15.6 million Americans each month, many without medical guidance.Why the Liver Takes The Toll?The liver is your body’s primary detox organ. Everything you ingest—medication, supplements, alcohol, even food—is filtered and broken down here. When supplements like turmeric are taken in high doses, especially those enhanced with absorption boosters like piperine, they can overwhelm the liver’s metabolic pathways.In some cases, high curcumin concentrations may even trigger autoimmune-like responses, where the body’s own immune system attacks the liver, mistaking it for a threat. The symptoms of turmeric-induced liver damage are often subtle at first:FatigueNauseaPoor appetiteDark urineJaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)Many people don’t connect these to their supplements until it's too late. One of the most concerning aspects of Katie’s case is where she got her medical advice: not from her doctor, but from Instagram.In a culture increasingly driven by influencers, it's easy to get swept up in the wave of quick fixes and natural cures. But the line between science and marketing is getting blurry and it’s making people sick.According to the CDC, more than 5 million Americans currently live with some form of liver disease, and nearly 60,000 die of liver failure each year. Supplements may seem harmless, but when misused, they can compound existing health risks, especially for those with underlying conditions.Katie spent six days in the hospital. Thankfully, her liver responded to treatment after she stopped the supplements. The liver is a forgiving organ, but the experience was harrowing.