This is a cautionary report. I have a history of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which I manage with diet and exercise. My hepatologist monitors my liver enzymes quarterly. My ALT typically runs around 35-40 U/L — mildly elevated but stable.
I started Fadogia agrestis at 600mg daily after hearing about it from a friend who follows the Huberman podcast. I did not mention it to my hepatologist because I thought of it as "just an herb."
At my 3-week routine blood draw, my ALT had jumped to 68 U/L — nearly double my baseline. AST was also elevated at 52 U/L (normally 28-32). My hepatologist was concerned enough to order an ultrasound and additional labs.
The ultrasound showed no new findings. When I mentioned the supplement, she immediately asked me to stop it. Within 3 weeks of stopping, ALT dropped to 42 and AST to 30 — back to my normal range.
My hepatologist was familiar with the Yakubu toxicity data and was frustrated that this product is sold without any safety warnings for people with pre-existing liver conditions. She made a fair point: the original rat studies specifically documented hepatotoxicity, and yet the supplement bottles carry no liver-related warnings.
I cannot prove with certainty that Fadogia agrestis caused my liver enzyme spike. But the temporal correlation — started supplement, enzymes rose, stopped supplement, enzymes normalized — is suggestive. If you have any history of liver disease, please get baseline liver function tests before starting this supplement and monitor them closely.