British mom, 44, who tried popular supplement she got online left with brain damage as husband issues warning
A 'fit and healthy' mum has been left brain-damaged after her liver failed when she took a trendy $6 wellness supplement popular online.
Lois Kinder, 44, drank a coffee and ingested two gummies a day containing the Asian herb ashwagandha to 'promote her overall wellbeing' for a year.
Supplements containing ashwagandha are often talked about on social media alongside claims they help with relaxation and ease the symptoms of perimenopause.
Lois came across the supplement on social media and ended up being given samples to sell via social media. But last month the mum-of-two, from Cheshire, UK, noticed her eyes and skin turn yellow until and three days later was found collapsed on her couch.
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She was rushed to hospital by ambulance, where doctors discovered she had suffered acute liver failure.
Luckily, a donor organ was found and she had a successful transplant surgery but complications during the operation left her with brain damage.
Doctors told her husband Ollie, 44, that they believe the liver failure was caused by the herbal supplement which can also be bought from high street health chains.
Lois is currently too ill to speak but Ollie is speaking out to raise awareness for people taking viral supplements.
He said: "The thought of losing my wife, and of our children, Imogen and Jacob, losing their mum at just 44 years old, was unbearable.
"Watching the person you love fight for their life is something no family can ever prepare for.
"When the doctors ran tests, one of the first things they asked us was if she was taking pills containing ashwagandha, which they later said they believed had caused the liver problems.
"They said there have only been 70 cases of livers failing following prolonged use of the pills.
"I want to spread awareness and warn people that even if you think the supplement you are taking is safe, there can still be serious health consequences."
Lois worked as a social media affiliate and had been taking and selling ashwagandha-based products for around 12 months.
Ollie said there was 'no end' to pills containing the herb she would be sent by companies to sell on the social media platform.
The pills are particularly popular with perimenopausal women, helping them with sleep issues and mood swings, according to The Better Menopause.
But in the last couple of years, it has been linked to liver problems, according to clinical and liver researchers at LiverTox. Researchers say it is not clear what is causing the liver injuries.
They can be bought for as little as $6 online and over the counter.
Ollie said she took the supplement daily from July 2025, believing it to be a 'health benefit'.
He said: "She would always say after taking them she felt better and was more relaxed."
In early July, Ollie said his wife had visited her doctor thinking she had a stomach bug after being sick and noticing jaundice-like symptoms, including her eyes and skin turning yellow.
According to the dad, the doctor said he wasn't 'unduly worried' and ordered a blood test and a liver scan.
But on July 13, her daughter Imogen, 19, found her unresponsive on their couch in their living room when she noticed she hadn't woken up her brother Jacob, 15, for school.
Imogen said: "The paramedics managed to wake her up, but she was confused and couldn't recognize me or my brother."
She was then rushed to Warrington Hospital and within hours tests found her liver was failing.
Doctors placed her into an induced coma and, just three days later, transferred her to the specialist Liver Intensive Care Unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
It is one of only a handful of centers in the UK able to perform emergency liver transplants.
The mum was immediately placed on the super urgent transplant list and every passing hour mattered.
After several liver offers that were unfortunately unsuitable, on July 22 a donor liver finally became available.
The family hoped this would be the moment everything began to get better, but it was only the start of an 'unimaginable battle' for them.
During the transplant operation, Lois suffered three cardiac arrests caused by a blood clot blocking the main artery to her lungs.
She was deprived of oxygen for a prolonged period while the incredible surgical and critical care teams fought tirelessly to save her life.
At one point, Ollie was told to prepare for the worst and that she was unlikely to survive the operation.
But against all odds, Lois survived and woke from her coma after a month on August 13.
The dad said: "The number of times we have been told we are going to lose her and then she just defies the odds.
"Doctors thought she was brain dead and put a do-not-resuscitate order on her. The days that followed were filled with fear, uncertainty and heartbreak. But by some miracle she woke up.
"Doctors brought in a retired neurological specialist to figure out why she is awake as scans showed otherwise - but they can't give any answers."
She has been able to recognize her family, say a couple of words and has started to give signs such as the odd twitch of her finger or toe.
However, the complications she suffered have left her with significant brain damage, and she remains in critical care undergoing intensive neurological rehabilitation every day.
Ollie visits his wife at Queen Elizabeth Hospital every day.
He said: "The medical team caring for Lois have told us that her case is so rare and medically complex that they intend to publish it as a case study in medical journals to help healthcare professionals around the world learn from the extraordinary challenges they faced while saving her life."
At this stage, it is believed that ashwagandha is the ‘main cause’ of Lois’ liver failure, although this is still being investigated.
Ollie has been told that life is going to be very different for Lois and that she will be disabled in ‘some shape or form’.
He said: "At this stage, nobody knows what her recovery will look like.
"We don’t know if she will walk again, regain full use of her body, or what level of care she will need in the future.
"What we do know is that Lois has already shown incredible strength, and we will continue to fight alongside her every step of the way."
The family is currently crowdfunding to buy a house and adapt it for Lois.
Lois and her family live in a rental property which they have recently been given notice on due to the landlord wanting to sell it.
Ollie said: "If you are able to donate, no matter how big or small, you will be helping to give my wife the opportunity to rebuild her life and helping our family face the future together. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your kindness, generosity and support."
You can donate here.
Niamh Shackleton