"Lost Half My Weight": SNS Frenzy Over Chinese Drink That Claims 4kg Loss in Two Days

Mixing Enema Solution into Sugar-Free Tea
Diarrhea and Abdominal Pain Lead to ER Visits... No Real Weight Loss

A new diet trend in China, which involves mixing tea with external-use enema medications and drinking the mixture, has been spreading on social networking services (SNS). As a result, many people are reporting side effects such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, leading them to seek medical attention.

According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on July 25, an unusual weight loss method has recently become popular on Chinese SNS: adding external-use laxatives for constipation to tea and drinking it. In some popular videos, influencers are shown pouring external-use glycerin enema medication into sugar-free tea, shaking the bottle to mix it, and then drinking the mixture. These influencers claimed that, after drinking the concoction, they had to go to the bathroom frequently and achieved remarkable weight loss results. Some even claimed a dramatic effect of losing 4 kilograms in just two days.

The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Pixabay

Many netizens, intrigued by this trend, have tried the method themselves, but some people have experienced adverse health reactions. A woman known as Ms. Ma said in a media interview, "I tried drinking the mixture. It tasted a bit sweet, but after about 30 minutes, I began to feel very uncomfortable." She explained that she tried to relieve the pain by drinking warm water, but it did not help, and after a few hours, she suffered from repeated diarrhea and vomiting. "I went to the bathroom once every hour," she said, "and I couldn't sleep at all through the night."

A major hospital in Henan Province announced that in early July, many emergency patients arrived at the hospital after trying this diet method they had seen on SNS. The hospital warned, "Drinking sugar-free tea containing theophylline, polyphenols, and tannic acid on an empty stomach can cause diarrhea and abdominal pain, especially in people with sensitive stomachs." The hospital added, "If you also add glycerin enema medication to this, the effect of inducing diarrhea is doubled, causing a 'double blow' to the digestive system." They repeatedly emphasized that enema solutions are for external use only and must never be ingested. The hospital also stressed there is no evidence that consuming this mixture with tea results in weight loss.

Sun Hairan, a nutritionist at Chongqing Women and Children's Hospital, pointed out that taking glycerin enema solutions orally can lead to electrolyte imbalances and damage the mucous membranes of the intestines, causing serious harm to the digestive system. She explained, "Even if your body weight decreases, it is highly likely that what you have lost is waste and water from the body, not fat," adding, "As soon as you drink water again, the weight will quickly return."

Meanwhile, there have been frequent cases in China of people falling ill after attempting to lose weight using unusual methods. Most recently, in eastern Zhejiang Province, a 25-year-old woman was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis after following an extreme diet that involved binge eating once a week and eating almost nothing for the remaining six days.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.