AST

Nutrients connected to AST

A link means the body needs the nutrient for this, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate; each link shows how strong the evidence is.

• Green tea extract and EGCGDocumented risk

  Liver enzyme markers such as AST rose in trials of high-dose EGCG supplements, which is why liver tests are used to watch for harm.

• He shou wuDocumented risk

  AST was raised in all 18 people in a case series of liver injury after this root.

• Curcumin (turmeric supplements)Documented risk

  Liver tests such as AST are used to detect supplement-associated liver injury; most patients in one series had raised transaminases, which returned to normal after stopping.

• SchisandraDocumented risk

  MSK says schisandra can lower AST on lab tests, which could affect how liver tests are read.

• TribulusDocumented risk

  Raised aminotransferases were reported in case reports of tribulus use.

• CorydalisDocumented risk

  Liver tests such as AST rose in the reported cases of corydalis-linked liver injury and fell after stopping the product.

• Reishi (lingzhi)Documented risk

  Raised liver enzymes (transaminases) were seen in a reported case of reishi-powder hepatitis, so liver tests are how an injury would show; the cause in a case cannot be proved from one report.

• Almond mushroom (Agaricus subrufescens)Documented risk

  Liver enzymes rose in case reports of liver injury; one four-patient pilot reported falling enzymes in hepatitis B.

• Baikal skullcapDocumented risk

  Liver blood tests such as AST are used to detect liver injury; in a case report AST fell by more than half within days of stopping the herb.

• Garcinia cambogiaDocumented risk

  Reported injury shows raised ALT and AST; a case report describes AST of 4,222 U/L. Trials in a meta-analysis found no change in AST overall.

• Usnea (old man's beard lichen)Documented risk

  Case reports describe large rises in AST with usnic acid products, a sign of liver injury.

• Bakuchi (babchi)Documented risk

  AST is a liver enzyme measured in the same context.

• Xanthium (cang er zi, cocklebur)Documented risk

  AST rose markedly in the fatal case and in mice given the toxin.

• Destroying angelDocumented risk

  AST rises with liver injury in amatoxin poisoning (68 to 1258 u/L in one fatal case).

• Greater celandineDocumented risk

  AST was raised alongside ALT in the case reports we read.

• Schisandra TeaDocumented risk

  Same lab-test effect as ALT (Memorial Sloan Kettering).

• Joint Formulas (Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, Turmeric)Documented risk

  Same liver-injury case reports.

• TaurinePreliminary or mixed

  The 2026 meta-analysis reported lower AST with taurine supplements, largely in people with liver or metabolic problems.

• Guduchi (giloy)Documented risk

  In a reported case, liver enzymes (transaminases) were severely raised during guduchi use and fell by more than half within two weeks of stopping. The report does not name AST alone.

• KavaDocumented risk

  Liver blood tests can be raised in kava users, and abnormal AST was reported in some studies of heavy drinkers. A 2020 trial found more abnormal liver tests with kava than placebo.

• RooibosDocumented risk

  Raised liver enzymes were reported in rooibos liver case reports and returned to normal after stopping.

• KutkiPreliminary or mixed

  The 1996 trial reported lower liver enzymes (SGOT/AST) in people with acute viral hepatitis given a kutki extract versus placebo; one small trial.

• Bay leafDocumented risk

  In the case report, AST rose to 196 U/L and improved after bay leaf tea was stopped; one patient.

• King tuber mushroomLab or animal research only

  AST fell in rats with chemically induced liver damage; mouse extract did not raise AST.

• Thuja (northern white cedar)Documented risk

  Liver enzymes (ALT and AST) were raised in the one case report of probable liver injury with thuja and black cohosh.

• BoldoDocumented risk

  Case reports of boldo-related liver injury describe raised liver enzymes; a formal causality score was not given.

• Capillary wormwood (yin chen hao)Preliminary or mixed

  In the cited trials of the formula, AST fell more than with usual drugs; AST is also a marker of liver injury. Evidence is for the formula.

• Saptaparna (devil's tree)Lab or animal research only

  AST (a liver enzyme) rose in rats given bark extract for 28 days.

• Tonka beanDocumented risk

  Same transaminase finding as ALT; drug doses of pure coumarin, not tonka bean food.

• Green TeaDocumented risk

  Same as ALT: transaminases rose with high-dose extract.

• MatchaDocumented risk

  Same as ALT.

• Mushroom Blends and Mushroom CoffeeDocumented risk

  Same case report; enzymes normalised at follow-up.

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