Abstract
Case Presentation: An 81-year-old Japanese man presented with multiple itchy erythematous patches and papules on his trunk and extremities, which had been present for 4 months. He also reported experiencing fatigue and nausea. The patient’s skin color was noted to be yellow all over his body, except for his ocular conjunctiva. His bilirubin levels were found to be normal. He had been taking Chlorella, a dietary supplement, for 9 months and also regularly consuming vegetable juice and “tsukudani” (a type of seaweed dish). Blood tests revealed carotenemia. One month after discontinuing the use of Chlorella and vegetable juice, the erythema and papules disappeared and his yellowish skin color began to improve.
Conclusions: Recently, many people have started taking various supplements for health reasons. Unlike medications, the side effects of supplements are not well-known. To avoid health risks associated with supplements, it is important to raise awareness about precautions to take when consuming them.
