A New Jersey woman, Katie Mohan, 57, was hospitalized after developing severe symptoms linked to a turmeric supplement she took daily. After weeks of nausea, fatigue, stomach pain, and yellowing eyes, she learned she was just “one step from liver failure.” Her symptoms worsened over time, but it wasn’t until she read about liver risks associated with turmeric that she connected the dots.

Mohan had been taking turmeric pills manufactured by YouTheory, purchased from Costco. The recommended dose on the bottle was three pills a day—totaling 2,250mg. According to the World Health Organization, a safe amount is around 200mg per day for someone of her weight. Her liver enzymes were found to be 60 times the normal level when she sought urgent medical care.

Doctors at NYU Langone confirmed the turmeric supplement—especially combined with black pepper extract—was likely the cause of her liver toxicity. She was hospitalized for six days and treated with antiviral therapy. Fortunately, her liver was able to regenerate, and she avoided needing a transplant.