A dangerous weight-loss trend circulating on Chinese social media is sending people to hospital after users claimed that mixing a laxative with bottled tea could help them lose up to 4kg (8.8lbs) in just two days.
The viral recipe involves squeezing two bottles of glycerin enema solution (commonly known as kaisailu or enema laxative) into a bottle of unsweetened tea before drinking it. Videos of the concoction have attracted millions of views, with many social media users asking whether it really works and others attempting the challenge themselves.
However, doctors have warned that the shortcut leads not to weight loss, but potentially to the emergency room.
One woman, identified only by her surname Ma, told local media that the drink initially tasted slightly sweet. About 30 minutes later, she began suffering severe stomach discomfort before spending the entire night vomiting and experiencing intense diarrhoea, forcing her to rush to the toilet almost every hour until around 4am.
Doctors at a major hospital in Henan also reported treating patients with similar symptoms linked to the viral trend.
Medical experts explained that tea naturally contains compounds such as caffeine and tea polyphenols, which can already irritate the digestive system. When combined with an enema laxative, the mixture delivers what doctors described as a “double blow” to the gastrointestinal tract.
Sun Hailan, director of the Clinical Nutrition Department at Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, stressed that glycerin enemas are strictly for rectal use and should never be swallowed.
“There is absolutely no scientific basis for drinking it,” she said. “The weight people lose comes from water and waste in the intestines—not body fat.”
She warned that while body weight may temporarily decrease, it quickly returns once fluids are replenished, whereas the damage to the intestines and the risk of electrolyte imbalance can have serious health consequences.
Liu Shuzhen, head of the Toxicology Department at Henan Provincial Third People’s Hospital, also cautioned that swallowing the laxative may cause nausea, vomiting and even poisoning symptoms.
She added that if diarrhoea occurs after drinking the mixture, people should not take anti-diarrhoea medication, as this could increase the absorption of toxins in the intestines. Instead, they should seek immediate medical attention.
Doctors said hospitals regularly treat patients who develop serious health problems after following unproven weight-loss methods, including self-induced vomiting, extreme dieting and misuse of laxatives.
Health experts stressed that sustainable weight loss can only be achieved by burning more calories than are consumed through a balanced diet and regular physical activity.
Their advice is simple: don’t drink laxatives in the hope of losing weight. The risks far outweigh any temporary drop on the scale.
