Zi Xiu Tang is one of the most popular weight loss supplements in recent memory. Unlike practically every other weight loss supplement I have ever investigated, ZXT does not list hardly any stimulants on its label. Yet, despite this, people report losing impressive amounts of weight in a short period of time. After reading through the comments on my two previous ZXT reviews – Zi Xiu Tang Does It Work and Zi Xiu Tang Revealed, I have formed some opinions about this supplement. Take these for what they are worth. They are my thoughts and not to be taken as gospel and I may very well be wrong on all of these 10 points. I felt the need to say these things because I don't see anyone else on the web addressing these issues.
This is what I currently believe about Zi Xiu Tang:
1. I believe Zi Xiu Tang may contain a compound not listed in the ingredients that is causing weight loss.
Other than a laxative effect (caused by Senna and other laxative ingredients) most of the ingredients in ZXT have either no proof or minimal proof that they promote weight loss in humans.
Update 4/8/14. The FDA warns people to immediately stop taking Zi Xiu Tang Bee Pollen weight loss supplements. It tested several Zi Xiu Tang products – including those that were said to be “genuine” and not counterfeit. The FDA found that the some products contained not only sibutramine, an illegal weight loss drug but some also contained Phenolphthalein, a chemical that may increase the risk of cancer. See the FDA alert for more information.
Update 10/24/12. The FDA has confirmed what I have said from day one – Zi Xiu Tang has a weight loss drug called sibutramine
2. I believe there is zero published peer reviewed proof that bee pollen promotes weight loss in humans.
ZXT websites love to tell people that bee pollen is responsible for weight loss, but if that's true, why can't I find any proof that bee pollen helps people lose weight?
3. I believe that senna and other ingredients with laxative properties and fiber are at least partially responsible for weight loss with ZXT.
It appears that senna has been removed from Zi Xiu Tang but people still report more frequent bowel movements -sometimes really more frequently – during the first 2 weeks.
4. I believe that the green tea in Zi Xiu Tang is partially responsible for weight loss.
The caffeine in the green tea is also probably one of the reasons why some people say they cannot sleep when they take Zi Xiu Tang.
5. I believe that drinking a lot of water -which is recommended when taking ZXT – helps curb appetite and is another way people lose weight.
Drinking more water is a common tactic in diets. Water helps fill people up and has no calories.
6. I believe hawthorn should be removed from ZXT because it can change how the heart pumps.
Hawthorn can potentially interact with medications people are taking. Hawthorn, by speeding up heart rate may in theory alter the metabolic rate but I’ve never seen any hawthorn-weight loss research.
7. I believe there is no study documenting Zi Xiu Tang side effects.
Those who have commented on my site report some very odd Zi Xiu Tang side effects ranging from blurry vision, headaches, depression, and rapid heart rate. Others report almost no side effects.
8. I believe not all ZXT supplements have the same ingredients.
Because of the variety of side effects, I feel some Zi Xiu Tang supplements may contain ingredients that other ZXT supplements do not contain. Some people report a lot of weight loss while others report very little weight loss. Maybe this is due to counterfeit ZXT products. I am not sure.
9. I believe that the talk of counterfeit Zi Xiu Tang is mostly marketing hype to get people to buy Zi Xiu Tang from a particular company.
I've heard that only authentic Zi Xiu Tang has a 20 digit anti counterfeit code on the box. People enter this code into a website (61131115.com) to see if they have the real stuff or not. I have never seen a published peer reviewed study on the differences in quality between ZXT that has an anti counterfeit code vs. a bottle of ZXT that does not have an anti-counterfeit code. How do we know those with an anti counterfeiting code are really better or more effective?
10. I believe people should be able to read the ZXT anti counterfeit code website – 61131115.com.
I've always thought the anti counterfeit ZXT website URL was odd because it only contained numbers; why doesn't it have the name of the company that makes authentic ZXT? The website is also ALL in Chinese. Shouldn't they translate the website into English so Americans etc. can read the site? English speaking people buy ZXT so shouldn't they be able to read what the website says?
What do you think about Zi Xiu Tang?
SOOOO now I can put to rest that it’s ‘all in my head’ the weird things I’ve been feeling while on ZXT bee pollen. I’ve been taking this for a little over a month now and although I can say I’ve lost 10lbs I feel like sh*t! For starters, I am not a ‘heavy’ person..l just had a hard time getting motivated to lose a little winter weight! The chips seemed way more appealing than working out did!
Anyway I noticed a client of mine lost a considerable amount of weight and I asked her how she did it..She explained she takes these ‘amazing’ pills, so as you could imagine I couldn’t wait to try it out. By the second week I was taking 2 pills and on came the weirdness!..First of all I felt like I was on a desert 24/7 and yes I was drinking more than the recommended amount of water.
I found when I was hungry I was STARVING! It did cut my craving for caffeine (I love iced tea). I eat way less than I used to but the taste of food is very off for me. I zone out on these pills and I also have been experiencing blurred vision. I thought maybe it was my contacts so I took them out, put on my glasses and the same thing happened. It takes me a while to get my eyes focused.
Also, the headaches bother me daily. It seems to be over my eyes and at my temples. For someone who was so active, I have zero energy..A friend taking this also feels the same way. I have never experienced ‘depression’ and I cry over the most ridiculous things! I also notice my temper is very short fused!
My friend suggested that I should try taking only 1 pill a day so I had been doing that. I was still feeling all the same symptoms. Although I would love to lose 10 more pounds, my health is way more important…Looks like it’s time for the good old diet and exercise!!!!
Dana
Thank you so much for your story I have been researching for a long time for something to validate that my depression was caused by Zi Xiu Tang pills . I was on them for long time back in 2010 never had any problems, I got pregnant on 2011 so I stop them I gave them a try again on 12/2012 I started feeling so bad I could not control my emotions I was crying all the time and this was all over Christmas and new years eve it was terrible , at that time I didn’t connected the pills to my feelings,I order another bottle just about a month ago I started feeling the same way.
I threw the pills away Im not taking them ever again those pills are the devil seriously I rather weigh 300 pounds than going through that again
Yaitza
I appreciate the work you are doing researching and reaching out about this drug. I do think it’s strange that there is not more information about the trials or testing periods, any notes or documentation. I was always against the whole concept of diet pills, but, I admit I chose to try these after talking about it with someone I respect that had good results.
One thing that impressed me with the pill was that they say after you loose the preferred amount of weight, then you should only take one pill a month. I thought, ok, so they’re not even trying to get you to just keep taking and taking them! I liked that.
I had great success with the pill, but not without side effects, and I think there is an important point of view that I’m not hearing from anyone here. Yes, there can be counterfeit pills – just like any pill. Buy them from a reputable distributor only. Yes, I had dry mouth, a 4 day period of diarrhea, I ate much less and actually craved healthier foods (I sought out fruits and vegetables rather than breads and cheeses), I had more boosted energy which I used to my advantage by going for a walk more throughout the day, and I craved more water.
There was one morning during the first 2 weeks when I had a PMS induced fit of rage trying to find my keys. 🙂 I do think the pills enhanced that – absolutely! But that key note I wish people would remember, the one I’m not hearing is that these pills (ANY pill) are only supposed to act as an aid to your OWN EFFORTS! They are not supposed to do the work for you. They are a complement to the EFFORT you are willing to make.
Anyone who believes otherwise is just a carnival fool. No matter what any advertising says. In the 1920’s Hires Root Beer claimed it “purified the complexion”! It is the nature of advertising as it has always been.
We should stop expecting everyone else to change what THEY are doing and simply take the responsibility for making your own intelligent decisions. So try the pills if you want if they are genuine, but make an effort. Eat intelligently. If you feel jittery go for a walk and use your mind to create peace, don’t sit there and focus on “something’s wrong!” Something is different – you took a new pill.
I am in full agreement that it absolutely might not be for everyone. But for the ones that choose to try it – lose your weight and move on. I lost 25 lbs, and do you think I’m following the instructions and still taking one pill a month? Yeah right. I’m on to other things 25 lbs lighter, and it has stayed off for 2 years because I have reclaimed responsibility for the condition of my body. The pills were just a tool, a boost. It is my strongest hope you will use them for no more than that. Best wishes!
For some reason my name and e-mail address remained on the Leave a comment. Thank you for posting my comments and really hope they serve as a warning to some people. And, I really appreciate your response. Just hope my email address won’t stay open for others to see! Thanks
Carol, I checked and your email address is not present in your comment. Only your first name is visible. thats all. if you see something different do let me know.
I’ve been taking Zi Xiu Tang for 3 weeks and THANK GOD I found your site searching for answers for not only why I’m not losing weight but why I’ve been experiencing the very things I’ve found on this site—headaches and pains that I never otherwise have, blurry vision, pounding heart, NO sleep for the past two weeks, light-headedness, constipated which I have never experienced before. nauseated after eating and TIRED all the time.
so thankful for the information on this site; I am also very frightened. I wonder how one can detox??? I also want to find out how this company gets by promoting pills so dangerous while advertising it as “all natural.” I am really, really frightened.
Carol, just stop taking it and I think the symptoms should go away. In the US the phrase “All Natural” holds very little meaning and legally this phrase can be said for just about anything (notice how often you see “natural” on things in the supermarket).
I dont know whats in zi xiu tang but if you saw my post on ZXT Gold, the Canadians recently found some things in it that was not listed on the label.
just stop taking it Carol and if things persist go to your doctor. I have a feeling your symptoms will go away once you stop taking it.
The one thing that freaks me out about this product is the fact that it doesn’t list all the ingredients that are contained in the pills. I’ve taken the ZXT Slim and am now currently on the ZXT Gold. On the Slim, it took about a week for it to start affecting me in any way and it actually made me constipated for two or three days until I “detoxed.” I did lose about 10-12 pounds on this product (in a month’s time), so it did do what it was supposed to do.
I would also feel a little light headed every once in a while while taking the Slims, however that might be due to the suppressed appetite and not eating often enough. Then my father in law recommended the Gold since he got better results with it (as he was trying the Slim as well at the time, but started off with the Gold).
So I decided to give it a shot. Well, it took almost two weeks for me to finally “detox” with this product and when it finally began, I went so often that it dehydrated me to the point of almost passing out (This all happened in one day!). This reaction thoroughly scared me! Now I’m left wondering just how safe this product is. I plan on taking the pills with me to the doctor’s office and asking how I should proceed. After all, your health is way more important than losing weight for the sake of vanity.
My husband and a number of his friends have been taking Zi Xiu Tang and have lost considerable weight without migraines or blurry vision but with more bowel movement. I looked at the counterfeit checking website which is all in English and found that some pills that were just barely purchased were in fact counterfeit. My husband thought that maybe they were just not working any more when we looked at the two different bottles and pills and found differences in them. I don’t know if this will help anyone but I believe some of you above may be taking counterfeit pills that have chemicals in them instead of all natural ingredients.
CS, thanks for saying that. After reading everybody’s reactions to this supplement, I still not sure whats in it. Glad neither you or your husband had any side effects.
Shakeithriis, drinking more water will not help your blurry vision. Saying “drink more water” is the “go to answer” zi xiu tang distributors always say. Its their answer to everything – and its 100% wrong – and its a bunch of baloney!
These distributors have no knowledge of science or health and they do not have your best interest at heart. They only want you to keep you taking the product. I say stop taking Zi Xiu Tang. Throw it a way and never use it again.
I also recommend you go to your doctor first thing this week and get checked out. I don’t know why your vision is blurry but it concerns me.
I know the desire to lose weight is a strong one but I place your health – and in your case your vision -above any that urge.
OK I HAVE BEEN TAKIN THE ZI XIU TANG FOR A WEEK NOW AND I AM EXPERIENCING THE BLURRY VISION AND THE MIGRAINES, I WAS TOLD TO INCREASE MY WATER INTAKE,~I SURE HOPE THIS WORKS, IF NOT I’M DONE, I’M GOING TO GIVE IT ANOTHER WEEK, HOWEVER I DO HAVE A BOWEL MOVEMENT AT LEAST TWICE A DAY….AND IT WAS MAYBE TWICE A WEEK….
Finally i find a remark resembling what the pollen seems to do to me, From day one within a couple hours i get massive migraines, instead of a higher energy i actually noticed that I am groggy and almost drugged up feeling all day after taking, as well and an almost sick feeling as if i need to vomit but never do..aside from that I haven’t noticed any change whatsoever and Ive been taking them for about a week and a half now