Liver doctor shares shocking case of a young man who almost died after drinking ‘unregulated herbal coffee’

A young man came to the hospital with yellow eyes and dark urine for two weeks. “Two doctors had already been consulted, but they were baffled. No root cause was found,” says Dr Cyriac. (Also read: Kolkata nutritionist shares how even ‘home-cooked meals’ can upset your gut; shares 8 common eating mistakes )

Could your morning coffee harm your liver

Most common causes of acute hepatitis and jaundice came back negative. “Viruses, liver-toxic prescription drugs, herbal supplements, autoimmune disease, none of it was positive. We did so many scans and tests, yet the jaundice kept increasing,” Dr Philips recalls.

When the patient finally came to their care, the team went into “Sherlock mode.” But even they were stumped. “Again, viruses, autoimmune markers, negative. Drugs, toxins, supplements, he denied them all,” says Dr Philips.

It was only when they asked about dietary changes that the breakthrough came. “As a last-ditch attempt, we asked if he had changed anything in his diet. He thought for a while and said he had started drinking coffee a few weeks back,” Dr Philips explains.

Coffee? The team was initially unconcerned. “We were okay with that. Coffee is good for the liver. It wouldn’t cause jaundice,” he says. But when Dr Philips asked which brand, the patient revealed it was a Chinese coffee given to him by a roommate. “I asked him to show it to me, and my heart sank. This was no regular coffee, it was Chinese Herbal Coffee,” Dr Philips says.

What made this herbal coffee so dangerous

The culprit turned out to be jasmine black coffee, an instant herbal powder drink. The patient had consumed 2–3 cups daily for a week prior to the onset of symptoms, which included yellow eyes, dark urine, and severe itching of hands and feet.

“While true jasmine is generally safe in small amounts, some plants commonly labelled as ‘jasmine’ are highly toxic and can cause liver damage,” explains Dr Philips. These include night-blooming jasmine, yellow jessamine, star jasmine, and others, which can lead to severe toxicity affecting the liver, heart, and kidneys.

How can you protect yourself from such risks

He warns, “Most herbal teas and coffees are unregulated. There is absolutely no way a consumer can be sure what type of plant or plant part is in the product.”

Dr Philips advises caution: “Stay away from these advertised and promoted ‘exotic herbal drinks.’ None of them are tested for the health benefits they claim, nor for the safety we assume they have.”

In this case, a simple dietary habit, an exotic herbal coffee, nearly turned fatal. “Sometimes the answer is in the most unexpected place, and talking to the patient is key,” Dr Philips concludes.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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