Kobayashi Pharmaceutical recalls health supplements after kidney and health damage reports

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., Lt., headquartered in Osaka is recalling its products after receiving reports of people developing kidney and other health issues after consumption of its health supplements. The products belong to a line of health foods containing “beni-koji,” a type of fermented yeast rice. 

Indicating how its products may have been the cause, the company is voluntarily recalling supplements containing beni-koji, which includes:

• Beni-koji choleste-help
• Natto-kinase sarasara-tsubu gold
• Naishi-help plus cholesterol

These products have been claimed effective in lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure. 

Reports of people developing kidney issues after taking the supplements first emerged in January of this year. Since then, the number has increased to 13 with 6 cases requiring hospitalization and 2 temporarily requiring dialysis in those 6 cases.

According to the company, health reports were from those taking “Beni-koji choleste-help.” The product was released in 2021 with a total of over 1.06 million products sold by the end of February. 

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has apologized and is voluntarily recalling approximately 300,000 products. The company also urges consumers to stop using its products containing beni-koji. 

Source: NHK