The embarrassing side effects of those trendy detox teas
A HEALTH warning has been issued over potentially harmful detox teas that contain laxatives.
Many of the drinks – often endorsed by celebrities – are promoted as healthy, cleansing and a boost to weight loss.
However, some contain senna, which is a laxative, and other chemicals which have similar effects on the body.
Laxatives are heavily implicated in unhealthy weight loss suffered by anorexics.
A petition calling for the removal of ‘dangerous laxatives’ in detox teas has attracted 28,000 signatures as doctors and diet watchdogs label the detox craze as ‘unsafe’. The con- cerns have been highlighted by trade magazine, The Grocer, which said: ‘Behind benign branding and celeb selfies lie serious concerns about the ingredients used by brands to deliver these results.’
Among the brands in the spotlight is Bootea, which has been tried by heavyweight boxer David Haye as well as reality TV stars Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan. Other brands to have used senna include Slendertoxtea and Skinny Mint, which is endorsed by celebrities including Kim Kardashian’s sister Kylie Jenner.
But they are not cheap – a single Bootea teabag costs 42p, which is 14 times higher than the 3p for standard tea. Some of the firms make quasi-scientific claims that the teas break down fat, but the firms do not have the medical evidence to back this up, according to diet and nutrition experts.
In 2014, Bootea was ordered to remove various unsubstantiated health and weight claims from its website by the Advertising Standards Authority. But the British Dietetic Association said: ‘Endorsed by celebrities like the Kardashians, these brands shamelessly plug their products to a very susceptible audience, particularly teenage girls and young women.
‘Often people say, where’s the harm? But in something like this, there is a lot of harm.’
Nutrition and weight-loss expert Dr Lauretta Ihonor has tried the detox teas. She said: ‘It can make you feel like you’re losing weight, you’re slimmer and cleansed. But, I had the worst cramps of my life and it lasted two days. I spoke to a 15-yearold who took it for two months and she tweeted me to say, “I’m having these pains and feeling dizzy, might it be the tea?”
‘ It didn’t occur to her, she just wanted to be thin so she powered on through the cramps and the illness.’
Dr Ihonor said the laxative effect can remove important fluids and electrolytes from the body, contributing to muscle damage, heart arrhythmia and a lazy bowel.
She added: ‘ You’ve got side effects that aren’t overly pleasant and people aren’t aware of it because of the way they have been marketed as something that is totally benign.
‘Common sense screams, stay away from all too-good-to-be-true diet pills and potions. Just exercise more, eat a nutritious diet that’s low in junk food and be patient.’
Slendertoxtea said that senna had been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and was used in other teas.
It added: ‘ We don’t have any concerns about senna as an ingredient.
‘It’s a gentle laxative and we only included it in our “sleeptoxes”, which are supposed to be taken every two days.’
However, despite this reassurance, the company has decided to take senna out of its products.
It added: ‘ There was such controversy around it, we didn’t want to be involved in anything that could cause health issues or sell things people were concerned about.’
Bootea is also now offering a sennafree product and the company has changed its marketing to claim its products assist with overall health and well-being.
SkinnyMint pointed to customer surveys which suggested 82 per cent lost more than 4lb and a similar proportion said its night cleanse tea ‘flushed them out’.
‘Just take more exercise’