Slimming Tea: The Risks

Slimming tea, the umbrella term for teas with fat burning properties, does have its risks.  As with almost any product, FDA approved or not, slimming teas have certain risks that primarily come from abuse of the product.  Our culture has come to believe if a little will do what we want it to do, more will do it even better.  In most cases and in the case of slimming teas overdoing it can have health risks.

Slimming Tea as a Laxative

Slimming tea acts as a laxative, especially those teas that are advertised as weight loss products.  Most of the composite teas that are sold under the slimming tea umbrella contain aloe, senna, rhubarb root, cascara, buckthorn and castor oil.  All these ingredients are laxatives and will increase the frequency or intensity of bowel movements.  Abuse of laxatives will cause weight loss generally because the body does not have time to ingest the calories or nutrients of foods.  One must remember that laxatives are designed to relieve constipation.  Excess consumption of slimming teas or laxatives alone will naturally cause weight loss because the body is being forced to expel the nutrients, as well as the caloric intake, before the body can store them or use them.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)once stressed that the laxative teas and dietary supplements of most concern are those containing one or more of the substances, such as aloe, senna, rhubarb root, buckthorn, castor oil, and cascara.

Slimming Tea and  Bulimia or Anorexia Nervosa

Unfortunately slimming teas are often abused by those who suffer from bulimia or anorexia nervosa as the overindulgence in these teas creates loose watery stools and eliminates the calories as well as the nutrients from the system before they can be stored for use.

Pregnancy and Slimming Teas

Laxatives, and hence the abuse of slimming teas, can damage the GI tract and have adverse effects on women's menstrual cycles.  Pregnant women are warned to stay away from laxatives altogether.  It would lead one to suggest that pregnant women should also avoid slimming teas.

Possible Side Effects of Use of Slimming Tea

Among the side effects of these herbal teas that fall under the slimming tea umbrella are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fainting and chronic constipation.

While any product can be a risk to a person with hypersensitivities, generally speaking slimming teas are safe when used responsibly and according to the directions.  One should not over steep the teas or consume more than is recommended.  Above all, each person should use common sense when using slimming teas or any other weight loss product.  If the body reacts adversely, cut back on the use of the product or stop using it altogether.

Conclusion

Slimming tea is safe for most people, except pregnant women, when used with caution and when not abused.

July 17, 2009  Tags: ,   Posted in: Health Risks of Slimming Tea, Slimming Tea Ingredients

2 Responses

  1. Does Herbal Slimming Tea Work? | Best Slimming Tea - July 15, 2009

    [...] Herbal slimming tea is often advertised as 100% natural and as stated above caffeine free.  To the unsuspecting user it appears that these claims should make natural herbal slimming tea safe.  However, because a product is 100% natural does not mean it is 100% safe.  As outlined previously, herbal slimming tea contains senna, a natural laxative. [...]

  2. Oolong (Wu-Long) Tea Is Best Slimming Tea | Best Slimming Tea - August 15, 2009

    [...] While we endorse no particular brand, from most scientific studies done to date, the consensus seems to be that Oolong or Wu-Long Tea is the best slimming tea available without the added laxatives that can be detrimental to your health. [...]

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