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Sen. Blumenthal calls for investigation into detox teas

Sen. Richard Blumenthal is calling for an FTC investigation of detox teas that are promoted on social media -- calling them deceptive and falsely marketed.

News 12 Staff

Jun 17, 2019, 6:50 PM

Updated 2,013 days ago

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Sen. Richard Blumenthal is calling for an FTC investigation of detox teas that are promoted on social media -- calling them deceptive and falsely marketed.
The teas are endorsed by celebrities and influencers on social media. Detox teas are sold at many major pharmacies.
What not everyone knows is that drinking these teas may make drinkers use the bathroom more frequently. The first ingredient in many of the teas is senna, which is a laxative.
"These detox teas are marketed deceptively and falsely to young adult and teenagers exploiting their insecurities about weight and body shaming," Blumenthal said. 
"There are very severe dangers taking them for more than two weeks -- heart disorders, liver and kidney damage."
A nurse News 12 spoke with said she tried detox teas in the past, but warned about the health hazards linked to them.
"I think they can be really dangerous because you don't know what's inside," says Elizabeth Costanza. "So when you're taking them, you have to be really careful because you could get dehydrated super quickly. It's because there's laxatives inside."