Can You Take Chaparral and Fo-Ti (He Shou Wu) Together?

Use extra care with this pair

The short answer

Both Chaparral and Fo-Ti are well-documented hepatotoxins. Chaparral causes acute hepatitis, while Fo-Ti's anthraquinones cause idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity. Combined use creates significant cumulative liver risk.

How to arrange timing

Avoid this combination. Both have caused cases of liver failure independently.

Reference

Reference noted for this combination: Sheikh NM et al., Arch Intern Med 1997; Lei X et al., J Ethnopharmacol 2015; LiverTox (NIH/NLM)

Important context

Whether supplements suit you together also depends on dose, product formulation, health conditions, and medication use. Ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a chronic condition.