China’s Viral ‘Weight Loss’ Drink Sends Dozens to Hospital: Doctors Warn of Severe Risks
A dangerous weight loss trend circulating on Chinese social media has led to multiple hospitalisations, prompting doctors to issue urgent warnings against the practice. According to reports from the South China Morning Post, influencers have been promoting a mixture of sugar-free tea and a glycerin enema—a medicine intended only for external use to relieve constipation—claiming it can help lose up to 4 kilograms in two days.
Videos shared online show influencers squeezing the contents of glycerin enemas into bottles of sugar-free tea and drinking the mixture. Users report frequent trips to the toilet, which they attribute to rapid weight loss. However, medical experts clarify that the apparent weight loss is primarily due to severe dehydration and bowel emptying, not fat loss.
One woman, identified only by her surname Ma, told the South China Morning Post that she tried the drink after seeing it online. Despite a slightly sweet taste, within 30 minutes she began feeling unwell. She attempted to ease the discomfort with warm water but developed repeated diarrhoea and vomiting. 'I went to the toilet once an hour. I could not sleep for the whole night,' she said.
A major hospital in central Henan province reported receiving several emergency patients earlier this month who became ill after trying the slimming method. Doctors explained that sugar-free tea contains ingredients such as theophylline, polyphenols, and tannic acid, which can trigger diarrhoea and stomach pain in sensitive individuals. Mixing it with a glycerin enema greatly increases the laxative effect, putting extra stress on the digestive system.
The hospital stressed that glycerin enemas are for external use only and should never be swallowed. There is no scientific evidence that drinking the mixture helps lose body fat. Nutritionist Sun Hailan from Chongqing Women's and Children's Hospital warned that swallowing a glycerin enema could damage the digestive tract, disrupt electrolyte balance, and injure the intestinal lining. Any weight lost is mainly water and waste, not fat, and quickly returns once the body is rehydrated.
This incident is part of a broader pattern in China where individuals have harmed themselves by following extreme weight loss methods. Earlier, a 25-year-old woman in Zhejiang province developed acute pancreatitis after a diet involving binge eating once a week and severe calorie restriction on other days.
