Rhubarb

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Cholesterol levels in men⁴

  Men with high cholesterol who ate rhubarb fiber daily lowered their total and LDL cholesterol.

Animal and lab studies only

• Concern

  Colon health⁵

  In animal studies, a substance from rhubarb called rhein builds up in the colon and may be behind colon damage.

Single cases of misuse or overdose

One person or one incident, such as an accidental overdose or a mistake in a kitchen or factory. They are real, but a single case does not show what happens at normal amounts, so the signal does not count them.

• Kidney failure risk³

  A diabetic who ate lots of rhubarb every day for weeks developed sudden kidney failure from oxalate crystals.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.