Ballerina Tea Side Effects

Ballerina tea is a drink celebrated by dieters for its contribution to weight loss. The drink is an herbal tea formula that is claimed to be a healthful, natural beverage for dieters that promotes weight loss. It is also rumored to be a ballerina's secret to maintaining a thin, lithe figure, which is the origin of its name, "ballerina tea." Although the ballerina tea formula might help consumers lose weight, there are a few side effects that consumers should be aware of when purchasing this product.

Ingredients

• Ballerina tea is a formula that contains herbal ingredients. On the surface, this sounds positive. However, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, just because a product is botanically based does not necessarily mean that it is safe. The safety of an herb depends upon the dosage, preparation and several other factors. One component of ballerina tea is senna, which, according to Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, is "the dried leaflets or pods of various senna plants used as a purgative." Essentially, the ingredient in ballerina tea that aids in weight loss is senna, which is a natural stimulant and laxative. However, this tea contains no caffeine, which is seen as an advantage by many of its drinkers.

Diarrhea

• Because this tea contains a laxative, it can cause diarrhea. This might be an undesirable side effect for some users. Senna is a natural laxative, so the likelihood of this side effect occurring is increased with the amount of ballerina tea consumed. The more ballerina tea ingested, the more severe the diarrhea symptoms could be. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, six cases of people who experienced diarrheal illnesses were traced to the consumption of herbal tea.

Abdominal Cramps

• Once again, because ballerina tea contains a laxative, it can cause abdominal cramps. This can cause mild to severe discomfort, depending upon how much of the laxative, senna, is consumed. Tea containing a higher concentration of ballerina tea formula is more likely to invoke this side effect.

Purging

• The senna contained in ballerina tea might cause purging. Although side effects of a more laxative nature are more common, the tea might cause vomiting in some drinkers. Common symptoms associated with this side effect include feelings of nausea, upset stomach and dizziness.

Considerations

• Ballerina tea might aid in weight loss. However, this tea does not contain any fat-burning ingredients. Therefore, none of the lost weight is fat, and it will likely be gained back quickly. Moreover, ingesting a stimulant and laxative such as senna on a regular basis can have harmful long-term side effects. Although laxatives contain cleansing properties, they should not be ingested regularly over an extended period of time. Ballerina tea is made from all-natural ingredients, but it shows no signs of aiding in permanent weight loss. The Consumer Action Handbook advises consumers to steer clear of laxatives and purging techniques to lose weight.