Medications and supplements that can actually cause liver damage

By    Amber J. Tresca

 Medically reviewed by    Jay N. Yepuri, MD, MS     on March 04, 2020

symptoms of drug-induced liver damage

Verywell / Tim Liedtke

 

Liver Function

The liver is the first line of defense against toxins that enter the body. It removes them from the bloodstream before they can reach other organs and be harmful.

That doesn’t mean the liver is able to process toxins without any ill effects; some substances will do harm to the liver. In only rare cases does the long-term use of medications cause cirrhosis of the liver or chronic liver damage.1 However, some medications and supplements, when taken alone or mixed with other medications or substances, can damage your liver.

Liver Damage From Medication

Liver injury from the use or overuse of medications or supplements may be a challenge to diagnose. Often the cause of the drug-induced liver disease is quite apparent to physicians, but in some cases, other causes for liver disease, such as hepatitis, cancer, metabolic disease, or vascular disease, may need to be ruled out first. The medication or supplement that’s the suspected cause of the liver damage will need to be stopped in order to confirm the diagnosis.2

The signs and symptoms of liver damage or injury from medications should be taken seriously and investigated right away. These include:

  • Abdominal pain and swelling

  • Fever

  • Jaundice (yellow eyes and skin, dark urine)

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Severe fatigue or sleepiness

Drugs That Cause Liver Damage

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Article submitted by Pat France, MSRN Member