Your chai’s secret ingredient is causing alarming side effects, doctors report

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Spice Backfire

That warm, aromatic clove you pop after meals may hide a darker twist—experts note that concentrated eugenol can irritate the gut lining, turning a “healthy ritual” into a slow burn that your stomach won’t forgive easily.

Oil Overdose

What feels like a natural wellness hack can spiral fast: clinicians have documented cases where a few drops of clove oil—far stronger than the spice—trigger liver distress, neurological confusion, and even seizures in vulnerable users.

Bleeding Surprise

Hailed as a circulation booster in home remedies, eugenol’s anticoagulant punch can swing too far. Doctors warn that excessive intake may thin blood to the point where small bruises linger and routine cuts refuse to clot.

Sugar Crash

Traditional healers praise cloves for stabilizing glucose, but endocrinologists caution that overuse—especially alongside diabetes meds—can send blood sugar tumbling into hypoglycemic territory before warning symptoms fully register.

Cellular Fallout

Lab studies hint at a hidden risk: in ultra-high doses, eugenol doesn’t just fight inflammation—it may damage healthy cells. Researchers describe this cytotoxic flip as a chemical double-life that most consumers never see coming.

Mouth Meltdown

Chewing whole cloves may feel soothing, but dentists report that overdoing it can inflame gums, numb the tongue, and leave raw patches where the spice’s fiery compounds hit delicate tissue too aggressively.

Kidney Collateral

Medical case reports reveal that heavy clove oil ingestion can strain more than the liver. Kidneys—tasked with filtering eugenol byproducts—may show signs of overload long before symptoms become obvious.

Child Danger

Pediatric toxicologists stress that even a “tiny” amount of clove oil can be hazardous for kids. Their smaller bodies can’t buffer eugenol spikes, turning a harmless-seeming home remedy into a potentially serious emergency.

Surgery Snag

Surgeons quietly flag a surprise pre-op complication: patients using high-dose clove supplements may arrive with thinned blood, making routine procedures trickier and recovery messier than anyone anticipates.