You won't find warnings about possible food-related heart attacks on any of the labels. Pharmacists like Rhett King say they aren't often alerted to the dangers, either. It's not the kind of information that's provided to pharmacists as often, so it's hard to pass that on to the customer. King said he can only warn customers he sees buying dangerous combinations. Aloe vera extract is a popular holistic healing aid bought in liquid or pill form, but when taken with commonly used water pills called thiazide diuretics prescribed for high blood pressure, the combination lowers potassium levels, causing severe cramps and irregular heartbeats.
Beta carotene is another common supplement.
Scientists gave beta carotene to smokers, believing the anti-oxidants would lower the chance of developing lung cancer. Instead, Dr. Denke said they discovered smoking and beta carotene are a potentially deadly mix. Researchers have also found too much of a good thing can be bad. Recent studies have proven one glass of wine a day is healthy. But drinking more than four glasses of an alcholic beverage at a time can put too much stress on the heart, according to Dr. Denke.