Ollie Kinder is warning families about viral wellness supplements after his wife suffered catastrophic health consequences from a popular TikTok product.
The 44-year-old British father has gone public with the ordeal of Lois Kinder, 44, a mother of two from Cheshire, UK, who took ashwagandha gummies daily for roughly a year before collapsing with acute liver failure. She now has significant brain damage following a transplant surgery that saved her life but brought its own devastating complications.
Lois, who worked as a TikTok affiliate, had been sampling and selling ashwagandha-based products sent by companies through the platform. The Asian herb, often marketed for relaxation and perimenopause symptom relief, can be purchased for as little as $6 online and in high street health stores. She began taking the supplement daily in July 2024, believing it offered genuine health benefits.
“She would always say after taking them she felt better and was more relaxed,” Ollie said. Her routine involved a morning coffee and two gummies, a regimen she maintained for about twelve months before her body began to fail.
In early July, Lois visited her doctor with what she thought was a stomach bug. She had been vomiting and her eyes and skin had turned yellow, classic signs of jaundice. Ollie said the doctor was not “unduly worried” and ordered a blood test and liver scan. Three days later, on July 13, the family’s crisis erupted.
Imogen Kinder, 19, found her mother unresponsive on their living room couch when she realized Lois had not woken her brother Jacob, 15, for school. “The paramedics managed to wake her up, but she was confused and couldn’t recognize me or my brother,” Imogen said.
Lois was rushed to Warrington Hospital, where tests within hours confirmed her liver was failing. Doctors placed her in an induced coma and transferred her three days later to the specialist Liver Intensive Care Unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, one of only a handful of UK centers capable of emergency liver transplants.
The mother of two was immediately placed on the super urgent transplant list. After several unsuitable donor offers, a liver became available on July 22. The family hoped the operation would mark a turning point, but Lois suffered three cardiac arrests during surgery when a blood clot blocked the main artery to her lungs. She was deprived of oxygen for a prolonged period while surgical teams fought to save her.
Ollie was told to prepare for the worst and that she was unlikely to survive. “The number of times we have been told we are going to lose her and then she just defies the odds,” he said. “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.”
Lois emerged from her coma on August 13 after nearly a month unconscious. She has since been able to recognize her family, say a few words, and make small movements like finger or toe twitches. However, the oxygen deprivation left her with significant brain damage, and she remains in critical care undergoing intensive neurological rehabilitation daily.
Medical investigators believe ashwagandha is the “main cause” of her liver failure, though the investigation continues. Ollie said doctors told him there had been only about 70 documented cases of liver failure linked to prolonged use of the supplement. Clinical researchers at LiverTox have noted rising reports of liver injury connected to the herb in recent years, though the exact mechanism remains unclear.
“The thought of losing my wife, and of our children, Imogen and Jacob, losing their mum at just 44 years old, was unbearable,” Ollie said. “Watching the person you love fight for their life is something no family can ever prepare for.”
He continued: “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. 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.”
The medical team treating Lois has indicated her case is so rare and complex that they intend to publish it as a case study in medical journals. Ollie has been told his wife will be disabled in “some shape or form,” though the extent remains unknown. “At this stage, nobody knows what her recovery will look like,” he said. “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 faces additional pressure from housing instability. They currently rent their home but have received notice because the landlord intends to sell. They are crowdfunding to purchase and adapt a property for Lois’s needs. “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,” Ollie said. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your kindness, generosity and support.”
Ollie visits Lois at Queen Elizabeth Hospital every day as she continues her rehabilitation.