Tea Pills and Weight Loss: Do They Really Work?

These days, there are plenty of tea pills weight loss products around. On the internet, you’ll find a lot of them being sold online. It’s the same case when you go to supermarkets and drugstores - tea pills of different makes, shapes and sizes come at you promising an easy way to lose weight.

However, you probably wonder, do these tea pills actually work? Are they at all safe to consume?

If you look closely at the labels of these tea pills weight loss wonders, you’ll see that a good number of them tout themselves to be herbal concoctions with tea extracts. Like any product though, you should always be wary of the unintended side effects of consuming them. Let’s take a closer look at some of the contents of these pills and what they can do to our body:

 

  • Green tea extract. Has been touted to increase calorie and fat metabolism and suppress the appetite. Side effects of taking these extracts are bloating, indigestion, diarrhea and vomiting. Pills that contain green tea extracts often also contain other herb extracts and a large amount of caffeine. Its weight loss claims have very limited documented evidence.

  • Guar gum. This substance work by blocking fat absorption and suppressing the appetite. However, studies have shown that some users had episodes of diarrhea, flatulence and encountered other gastrointestinal problems. It should be taken with more than enough water because it can cause intestinal obstruction. Although this pill is quite safe it is unlikely that it can promote weight loss.

  • Chitosan. Just like guar gum, chitosan is relatively safe but unlikely to promote weight loss. It is said to be able to block dietary fat absorption but it can also cause bloating, constipation and other gastrointestinal problems.

  • Ephedra. A substance that has been banned due to safety concerns, ephedra is still being sold online as a tea. It is said to decrease the appetite but it can cause high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks, seizures, insomnia, heart rate irregularities and even death.

  • Hoodia. It has been advertized as an appetite suppressant but no evidence have been found to support its claims on weight loss.

 

There is no magic tea pill for weight loss. Most of these so-called tea pills are a concoction of several herbs, vitamins, minerals, botanicals, laxatives and even caffeine.   Even if you should find a tea pill that works for you and helps you manage your calorie intake, keep in mind that the goal isn’t to lose weight at all cost - it’s to lose weight in a healthy and safe manner.

What still remains as the surest way to achieve the weight you want is by making the necessary adjustments to your lifestyle. Stay away from processed, fatty and oily foods, choose healthy food and healthy ways of cooking food, stay away from sodas and sweetened drinks and exercise regularly. When you lose weight the healthy way, you keep the weight off for longer.