The Many Risks of Slimming Tea

Fri, Oct 18, 2013
By publisher
5 MIN READ

Health

People who take slimming tea in order to check or reduce their weight often loose sight of the risks associated with it

By Chinwe Okafor  |  Oct. 28, 2013 @ 01:00 GMT

OFTENTIMES, people with weight problem seek all sorts of ways to slim down. They often resort to exercises, observe weight loss diets, skip meals and other options they deem fit. One of such options is the slimming tea or weight loss tea as some will call it. There are many varieties of slimming tea. Although they come in different names but they all promote a common message which tells the buyer that it’s for weight loss.

Slimming tea has long been considered very useful for dieters. Many companies have manufactured and distributed the product under different names such ‘Chinese diet tea’ meant for those who wish to lose weight. Though there are few health benefits of slimming tea, the same benefits can also be found in pure teas such as green tea, white tea, black tea and others. It has been scientifically proven that tea contains antioxidants that aid good health. Teas also contain polyphenols that aid the fat burning process, stimulating weight loss but this is a property of both slimming and pure tea.

Ginseng Chinese diet tea
Ginseng Chinese diet tea

Findings have revealed that the main reason people buy this tea is because they believe the caffeine in the tea is potent enough to increase body function to help burn more calories. However, many experts have noted that what one is actually drinking from tea is a plant-based laxative that can cause certain disorders like diarrheoa, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fainting, chronic constipation and perhaps even death when consumed in excessive quantity.

Uche Ogbanufe, a nutritionist with the Kogi State general hospital, said that a large percentage of Nigerians who use Chinese slimming tea use it wrongly. “These teas are special herbal teas that shouldn’t be taken alone and this is where Nigerians miss it. They are probably to be taken in conjunction with something else. The reason why many Nigerians develop health complications is because they do not use the tea in the right way. Nigerians want the fast method, especially when it comes to weight loss. These slimming teas are like hard drugs and are designed to work very fast. People take slimming tea and yet their diet is terrible. You can’t lose weight that way, rather, you’re only damaging your system. Whenever I counsel people who are obese, I advise them to shun slimming teas and go through the right method. Once one is able to cut out fried food, red meat, full cream milk, white bread, starchy rice, junk food, one will definitely lose weight. Rather than jeopardising one’s health, it is better to follow the long but safer method of losing weight,” she said.

Ebere Ezeh, a general medicine practitioner, said that consumers of slimming teas should protect their lives and lose weight the proper way. “I’m not going to condemn these teas especially the Chinese slimming teas, but I know that there are other better ways to lose weight. These teas may look like a fast way, but it can trigger off serious side effects, leading to death in some cases. We don’t know the contents of the tea and are not sure of the expiry date. Many of these slimming teas are gimmicks. There is no scientifically controlled evidence to prove they work,” she said.  Ezeh advised that if one suffers from obesity, the person should watch his or her diet and do exercises because there are safer methods to lose weight than using these teas.

Slimming tea
Slimming tea

Research findings have revealed that slimming tea has risks which are not associated with pure teas. Slimming teas have same benefits as pure teas, but pure teas do not possess the risks associated with slimming teas which contain laxatives. One of the most common laxatives included in slimming tea is senna. Though the senna content in slimming tea may be all natural, it is still a laxative. Laxatives should never be used as a diet supplement but most users are ignorant of this fact. The risks of using laxative teas or slimming teas are so great that most packages correctly have warnings against their use by pregnant women. The use of laxatives as a diet supplement may cause diarrhoea initially. However, after prolonged use, the human body can become dependent on the laxative. Without the laxative dosage the person will begin to suffer chronic constipation.

Extended use of slimming laxative teas can cause death if there is no intervention. Unfortunately, many people do not realise that the consequences of prolonged use of these diet products can be deadly, especially for those who suffer from eating disorders. However, laxative-induced diarrheoa does not significantly reduce absorption of calories for the reason that laxatives don’t work in the small intestine, where the calories are absorbed. Based on studies, when these laxatives are used continually, laxative dependency will tend to develop with bouts of chronic diarrheoa, abdominal pain, as well as constipation. In the most severe cases, these laxatives can cause fainting, dehydration and serious electrolyte disorders. The after-effects of excessive use of slimming tea are most likely to develop in people who are nutritionally compromised due to rigorous weight-loss dieting.

Tags:

55 thoughts on "The Many Risks of Slimming Tea"

  1. Here are more tips to lose weight even faster: http://www.diet-tea.net Eat a high-protein breakfast. Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice. Drink water a half hour before meals. Choose weight loss-friendly foods. Eatsoluble fiber. Drink Diet Tea. Eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods. Eat your food slowly.

  2. people dont read the instructions. ..as the this article says “people use it wrongly ”
    the closemyer tea is perfect and it works…ive been drinking it for a long time…although when I’m fine with my weight i discontinue using it…
    instructions!!!!!
    DRINK THE TEAR AFTER…….
    AFTER……
    AFTER…..
    30 MINUTES AFTER LUNCH AND DINNER!!!!!TWICE A DAY!

    because people want to loose weight fast then one tend to refrain from eating or one Drinks the tea before food……
    there is nothing wrong witg the tear!!!
    lets follow the instructions
    every medicine is dangerous when wrongly used!!

  3. I Want to lose weight too, But I love eating… I can’t diet and I hate exercise, The comments above are confusing me.

  4. Hi everyone I recently bought the Closemyer slimming green tea. I got pimples all over my face and running stomach and I only took it for three days and stopped. now I have stomach cramps n discomfort. if something is good for you why would it cause pains? I’m scared of drinking it again.

  5. Pls and pls…the poster is right and also wrong in some information being displayed..
    1.) NOT all diet teas are laxatives…or harmful…
    2.)we have natural teas…. that one can take without purging or stooling..(i took it after breastfeeding)
    3.)if you are a breastfeeding mom,PLS and PLS…DO NOT take any green tea or slimming coffee because you baby will end up having issues
    ..and even loose weight….(1.)Just EAT right… 2.)do not skip a meal,expecially breakfast and eat less at night…at most 6 or 7 pm….3.)drink lots of water…
    NOTE THESE: Breastfeeding aids weight loss in womwn..if only we EAT RIGHT(DO Not Forget to Take FRUITs also…
    3.)any slimming tea/coffee that is making you purge or stool..pls stop it…
    In summary,use natural trimming/diet teas/coffees…eat right,take lots of water..eat lots of fruit,avoid eating late @night…exercise daily…(make that body sweat)…eat less starchy foods/ carbohydrates and you are good to go… thanks… you want to know natural teas to take……whatsapp… 07031637125

  6. Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as
    I provide credit and sources back to your site?
    My website is in the exact same niche as yours and my
    visitors would truly benefit from a lot of the information you present
    here. Please let me know if this ok with you. Appreciate it!