MILWAUKEE — It was promoted to help with joint pain and arthritis, but it quickly turned into a nightmare scenario for a South Milwaukee woman who ended up in the hospital. Now, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is warning people not to buy supplements with "Artri" or "Ortiga" in the product name because there could be potentially harmful hidden ingredients. The family of this woman, who is now on her way to recovery, called the I-Team to help warn others.
"She had been having a lot of pain in her legs, just knee problems," Yazmin Gallegos described.
Gallegos is talking about her mother, Victoria Martinez, who started taking Artri Ajo King last year.
"The pills made her feel good. If she couldn't walk that day, she'd take some pills and she's say 'they make me feel so good'," Gallegos said.
Gallegos said for the last year, her mother was taking multiple pills a day as recommended by the dosage on the bottle. However, within the last few months, her mother took a turn for the worse.
"My sister realized something's wrong and we called her doctor and they said take her to the ER. She had low sodium, and they said the way she went in, was almost comatose state," Gallegos explained.
A few weeks later, Martinez was back in the emergency room again.
"They kept her there for a couple days and they ended up saying that was congestive heart failure," Gallegos said.
It was then Gallegos learned about the FDA's warning for the unapproved, over-the-counter product. The agency has warnings all over its website about reports of harmful effects including liver toxicity and even death.
"The issue is that there's no regulation in the factories, there's no regulation in testing these supplements," Dr. Hammad Haider-Shah said.
Haider-Shah's the Chief Medical Officer at Aurora Medical Center in West Allis. He said when taking supplements, it's best to consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking it. In many cases, he said supplements aren't regulated by the FDA and can negatively interfere with prescription medication.
"Talking to your doctor before taking a supplement or talking to your pharmacist is key," Haider-Shah said.
Gallegos said her mother and other family members had been buying Ajo King at a natural medicine store in South Milwaukee. The I-Team went to talk to the store owners. They said they knew nothing about the FDA's warning or the hidden ingredients.
The I-Team also reached out to Ajo King's manufacturer, Herbolaria Saludable, for comment. We haven't heard back.
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