California Congressman's Wife Died After Taking Herbal Supplement for Weight Loss: Coroner Report

Vanessa Etienne
·2 min read
18
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The wife of a California congressman died last year after reportedly ingesting a plant she believed to be a safe herbal remedy.

On December 15, 2021, Rep. Tom McClintock found his wife Lori McClintock unresponsive in their California home. According to a coroner's report obtained by Kaiser Health News, the 61-year-old died of dehydration due to gastroenteritis — an inflammation of the stomach and intestines — that was caused by "adverse effects of white mulberry leaf ingestion."

The report states that a "partially intact" white mulberry leaf was found in her stomach.

The white mulberry tree, which is native to China, is often used in traditional medicine for ailments such as weight loss, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, according to WedMD and Healthline. It is typically taken in capsule, liquid or tea form.

White mulberry plants are generally considered safe — only two cases of people sickened by mulberry supplements have been reported to the FDA since 2004, according to KHN.

RELATED: What's the Deal with Gummy Supplements? Are They Safe?

California gubernatorial candidate Tom McClintock and his wife Lori after casting their ballots in Newbury Park, Calif., Tuesday, Oct 7, 2003.
California gubernatorial candidate Tom McClintock and his wife Lori after casting their ballots in Newbury Park, Calif., Tuesday, Oct 7, 2003.

Nick Ut/AP Photo

RELATED: Do These Dr. Oz-Approved Weight-Loss Supplements Really Work?

A small 2017 study found that the white mulberry leaf can cause gastrointestinal side effects including nausea, abdominal pain, cramping, distension or flatulence.

Dr. D'Michelle DuPre, a former medical examiner in South Carolina who reviewed the documents, told KHN that white mulberry leave also "tend to cause dehydration, and part of the uses for that can be to help someone lose weight, mostly through fluid loss, which in this case was just kind of excessive."

Lori McClintock, wife of Senator Tom McClintock thanks supporters as he delivers his concession speech in Sacramento, Tuesday, October 7, 2003.
Lori McClintock, wife of Senator Tom McClintock thanks supporters as he delivers his concession speech in Sacramento, Tuesday, October 7, 2003.

Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty

Despite the autopsy report, Daniel Fabricant, CEO and president of the Natural Products Association, which represents the dietary supplements industry, said it's "completely speculative" that McClintock's death is related to the supplement, according to KHN.

"There's a science to this. It's not just what a coroner feels," said Fabricant, noting that coroner or family should have reported the death to the FDA for an investigation. "People unfortunately pass from dehydration every day, and there's a lot of different reasons and a lot of different causes."