Recently, a 42-year-old nurse, Edmara Silva, had to be rushed to the hospital after ingesting a product known as 50 Herbs, a kind of slimming tea She was diagnosed with fulminant hepatitis and lost her liver.

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Edmara, who had no previous illnesses, even went through a transplant Now she waits in the ICU for a new donor. Understand better:

50 Herbal Slimming: Possible Side Effects

The product, said to be natural, is not approved by Anvisa, but is sold on the internet and can be acquired easily for less than a hundred reais. In the composition are found herbs such as green tea , carqueja seemingly harmless ingredients, but that can compromise the liver.

According to gastroenterologist Amanda Morêto, there is a false notion that these substances do not need medical orientation and, therefore, can be consumed freely. The same happens with the anabolic steroids .

"It is important to understand that not everything that is natural is good for you, and the increasingly common and indiscriminate consumption of these substances can alter liver enzymes and cause liver damage - for example, a hepatitis ", explains Morêto.

Among the herbs that are harmful to the liver if ingested in an exaggerated form, the doctor points out green tea, carqueja (two plants present in the 50 slimming herbs), sene, sacred cassava and horsetail tea All anabolic steroids, besides being prohibited by the CFM (Federal Council of Medicine), can cause liver damage," he points out.

However, in more extreme cases, yellowish skin, fatigue, body pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, and whitish stools may occur. These symptoms indicate acute hepatitis, which can be serious," she says.

Is there treatment?

The gastroenterologist emphasizes the importance of medical advice before ingesting any type of herbs. She also points out that the treatment for the problems generated by the indiscriminate use of these substances consists solely in the withdrawal of the products from the routine. "Often, however, this may not resolve the liver damage, indicating a more chronic irreversible injury and leading, in the long runterm, to the cirrhosis ."

Source: Amanda Morêto, gastroenterologist at GastroVita Araraquara and at Hospital Estadual de Américo Brasiliense. She teaches at Universidade de Araraquara (Uniara).