Of late there is a flood of advertisements and vigorous marketing in TV channels of herbal tea which has a supposed property of reducing weight by burning unwanted fat. Are the claims true? People who consume such products spend a lot of time in the toilet as a result. Still, many people patronize these products, because they reportedly ensure rapid weight loss.

What consumers are not aware of is that weight lost is that of water but not fat. And there may be potential health risks. These herbal teas, marketed for their “slimming properties”, contain laxatives – they either stimulate bowel movements or soften the stools – and/or diuretics – used to rid the body of excess water through an increased rate of urination. Common herbs used in these preparations are the laxatives senna, cascara, buck thorn or rhubarb root and the diuretics uva ursi, mallow or licorice root.

The biggest health risks associated with drinking slimming teas on a regular basis are dehydration and diarrhoea which could lead to life-threatening potassium depletion. Since proper heart function is dependent on a correct electrolyte balance, a severe deficiency of potassium can make your heart stop beating.

The US Food and Drug Administration reports a number of cases of deaths and near-deaths associated with the use of these slimming teas. Randi Fine filed a report with the FDA about her declining energy levels, weak muscles (so weak she couldn’t get out of bed), and heart palpitations after taking a slimming tea on a regular basis for three months. She is lucky because she survived. Some who were not so lucky have suffered heart failure from taking such slimming teas.

Other herbal weight-loss formulas in addition contain the Chinese herb ma huang that has a strong stimulant effect. The active drug ingredient in it is ephedrine that is potentially dangerous for people with high blood pressure, heart conditions and diabetes. The FDA reports that there have been 15 deaths and 500-plus adverse reactions to ma huang sold in herbal weight-loss formulas, energy pills, and a special blend sold as an herbal high substitute for the illegal street drug Ecstasy.

The ill-effects of ephedrine can manifest themselves early or much later. A student died after taking an ephedrine-induced protein drink for two years to boost his bodybuilding workouts. But a 35-year-old woman using ephedrine-laden pills died in only 11 days. In Belgium a 1993 report documented 45 cases of kidney failure (18 of them terminal) in women taking a Chinese herbal weight-loss product.

Some unscrupulous manufacturers adulterate their herbal weight-loss products with powerful prescription drugs. A natural weight-loss product called Quicky, banned in 1993 by the FDA, is an example.

The label states that it contained papaya, kelp, garlic and lactose when it actually contained a diuretic that should be sold only against prescription. Another example is a company that was mixing their herbal weight-loss product with synthetic ephedrine hydrochloride and synthetic caffeine.

Dr Varro Tyler, acknowledged as one of the world’s leading experts on plant medicine, states in her book, The honest herbal, “There is no herb that has been proven safe and effective for weight-loss.”  There is no short cut to weight loss other than exercise or proper control of your diet or both!