WEIGHT LOSS TEAS NOT HEALTHY …Doc warns against quick fix slimming product

... Doctor warns against quick-fix slimming product

An attempt to lose weight in an extremely short time landed Kerry-Ann Tindell in the hospital after she drank what she calls the 'slim tea'.

According to Tindell, she bought the tea in April because the advertisement said it could make her lose a considerable amount of weight in a week. The 28-year-old said that within a week of its usage, she weighed five pounds less than when she just started consuming the tea.

But her happiness was soon shattered when she fainted twice at work, and ended up at the hospital because of vomiting and stomach irritation.

"When the doctor treated me, he said my stomach walls had been weakened because of the tea," she explained.

These 'slim fast teas' are actually detox teas and are currently being sold by several Jamaican businesses for between $1,500 and $2,500.

On their social media pages, businesses which sell these products claim that the teas can make persons lose between five and six pounds in five days.

side effects

When contacted, a Kingston business that advertised the tea on its social media page said that there were no side effects to drinking the tea besides having to urinate often.

"No, no pain. No pain or anything. You won't get sick," the representative said.

The store representative also advised the incognito caller to visit YouTube for more information about the product.

However, plastic surgeon Dr Keron Wint has discouraged persons from using detox teas to lose weight.

"Usually, for weight loss, the aim should be one to two pounds weekly. Losing more than that can be dangerous to your health," he explained.

According to Wint, the teas which use herbal medicine should be researched extensively before consumption.

"There is some good in the herbs used, but there are also serious side effects that aren't advertised by these sellers," he said.

Some side effects of the herbs, senna and guaran, which are popular ingredients of detox teas, include stomach irritation, nausea, vomiting, headache, anxiety, and diarrhoea.

Excessive use of detox teas can also lead to potassium depletion and other abnormalities, which can trigger muscle spasms and an abnormal heart rhythm.