Have you heard about the anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties of black walnut? Are you interested in taking this herb? Well, before you do this, you should also be aware of the side effects of black walnut.

Read on to know more.

Black Walnut – A Brief:

The hull of the black walnut nut has been used for centuries to get rid of parasitic worms and treat certain diseases like leukemia, diphtheria, and syphilis. Black walnut contains high levels of tannins that reduce inflammation and pain. However, the same tannins can also cause a whole lot of side effects. Here are the ten side effects you should be aware of.

1. Allergic Reactions:

According to The American Cancer Society, people who are allergic to nuts, pecans, in particular, should avoid black walnuts. This is because of the allergic reactions associated with it (1). These reactions include tightness in the throat or chest, hives, difficulty in breathing and rashes.

2. Could React With Other Medications:

As black walnut is sold as a dietary supplement, it has not been tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the interactions it can cause with other medications that you may be taking. The tannins present in the hull reduce the absorption of the medication.

3. Skin Cancer:

Many people apply black walnut topically on their skin to treat minor cuts and eczema. However, they should be aware that juglone, a chemical compound present in black walnut, is toxic, according to a researcher associated with Purdue University (2). This toxic chemical could result in the formation of malignant tumors on the skin when applied daily.

4. Changes In Cellular DNA:

According to a study published in the Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology Journal, juglone present in black walnut adversely affects fibroblasts, which are the cells that produce collagen proteins (3). Researchers found that the chemical dramatically decreases the levels of p53, a type of protein, and causes irreparable damage to the cell DNA, resulting in the death of the cells.

5. Equine Inflammatory Disease:

The extract of black walnuts is toxic to horses (4). It causes a disease known as equine laminitis, which is an inflammatory disease. It causes white blood cells to accumulate in the hooves of the horse, leading to pain and lameness.

6. Iron Deficiency:

Black walnut contains compounds known as phytates. These have a strong effect on the body’s ability to absorb iron. According to the Iron Disorders Institute, phytates can reduce the absorption of iron present in the food by up to 50 to 60 percent. This ultimately leads to iron deficiency.

7. Liver And Kidney Damage:

Today, black walnut is available as a supplement. Since there are different brands and makes of supplements, the strength of each supplement varies. If you overdose on black walnut, it could adversely damage your liver and kidneys. This damage is caused by juglone, which is the active ingredient of black walnuts and found in copious quantities in the hull.

8. Dries Up Body Fluids:

According to the WebMD website, black walnut can dry up bodily fluids, such as mucus. Hence, it shouldn’t be used to treat cough when you have a fever. It will cause you to dehydrate and interfere with the absorption of your fever medication.

9. Skin Rashes:

When applied topically, black walnut could result in skin rashes. This again is due to the chemical compounds found in the hull of the nut that irritates the skin, leading to red-colored rashes on the affected area. According to the Allina Health website, the rashes are itchy and cause skin inflammation.

10. Birth Defects:

As the phytates in black walnut cause cellular level changes in the DNA and cell death, it is possible this supplement could result in birth defects or have an adverse effect on the growth of the fetus. It also could result in miscarriages. Hence, according to Baseline of Health Foundation, pregnant women should not use black walnut. The same holds true for breastfeeding women as well.

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by Renold Rajan via STYLECRAZE