Update 3/9/24. If you have not heard of Zi Xiu Tang Bee Pollen capsules (also called Zi Xiu Tang Beauty Face and Figure Capsules), this is a natural weight loss supplement where some websites actually encourage people to eat what they want! Even the educational pamphlet that accompanies Zi Xiu Tang Bee Pollen say: “No Diet Restrictions” and that people can achieve “excellent results” even while eating “high fat and high-calorie foods”. The power of Zi Xiu Tang is said to be due to bee pollen and the other ingredients in the supplement. But, things are more complicated than that. This is the second review I've written about the Zi Xiu Tang Bee Pollen. For more insights on the ingredients, see the original review of Zi Xiu Tang bee pollen. Also, read almost 1000 comments on this review and hundreds of comments on the other Zi Xiu Tang Reviews.
Read The Updates First
I posted these updates above the rest of the content so you would see them first. As you will see below, I originally felt Zi Xiu Tang was a laxative, that still did not fully explain the crazy amounts of weight people were experiencing with this product. I wondered if there might be something else behind these effects.
Unfortunately, the FDA proved my suspicions correct when they found a drug called sibutramine (also known as Meridia) in Zi Xiu Tang -as well as other bee pollen weight loss supplements. Sibutramine has been linked to heart attacks and strokes, so it was banned in the US many years ago.
Update 4/8/14. The FDA warns people to immediately stop taking Zi Xiu Tang Bee Pollen's 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 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 alerted the public that Zi Xiu Tang contains the illegal weight loss drug called sibutramine. They advise people to not take Zi Xiu tang. Click the link to see the FDA Public Notification on Zi Xiu Tang. It took the FDA 2 years to prove what I knew from the first day I reviewed Zi Xiu Tang. There was no way this stuff worked the way it did – if it only had the ingredients listed…
Update 6/26/12. I have written a review of ZXT Gold
Update 7/25/12. : ZXT Gold has been found to contain 2 drugs, see the ZXT Gold review for more information.
6/18/13 Update. Here is the review of Slim Trim U for more information.
At first, I could not explain the weight loss people were seeing with this supplement. One person who commented on my first Zi Xiu Tang review said he lost 13 pounds in 1 month!
Now I know why…
How Does Zi Xiu Tang Work?
Thanks to a friend who sent me a bottle of these so-called slimming capsules I can tell you that bee pollen is NOT the active ingredient in Zi Xiu Tang.
If Zi Xiu Tang works, it's because it's a laxative!
I know this is true because several of the ingredients in Zi Xiu Tang have laxative effects. I suspected this because many websites selling Zi Xiu Tang use the word “cleanse.” Cleanse is the alternative medicine term for laxatives.
Probably, the most famous ingredient in Zi Xiu Tang is senna. Senna is not a weight loss supplement; it is a laxative. The FDA also classified it as a non-prescription, over-the-counter laxative drug.
Several other ingredients as you will see also act as laxatives.
The problem with laxatives is the only weight they help us expel feces (poop) and water.
What Does Zi Xiu Tang Mean?
The supplement's name doesn't seem to refer to anything specific. When translated from traditional Chinese to English, the name means “self-show soup.” However, when translated from Literary Chinese, the word means “be.” Could this be a reference to bee pollen, the alleged key ingredient?
Zi Xiu Tang Ingredients Label
Even if you wear eyeglasses, you will find it very difficult to read the ingredients in Zi Xiu Tang. The bottle and box abound with decorative Chinese art and characters, making reading the ingredients very difficult.
The red lettering of the ingredients makes it doubly hard to read. I had trouble even when I held the bottle up to a lamp! So, to save you the trouble, I've listed the ingredients here.
Zi Xiu Tang Full Ingredients List
Here is the entire list of ingredients in Zi Xiu Tang.
- Bee Pollen
- Chinese Yam
- Barbary Wolfberry Fruit
- Lotus Seed
- Dietary Fiber
- Green tea
- Rhubarb
- Aloe
- Cassia
- Astrigillis
- Polygonum multiflorum
- Lotus leaf
- Gynostemme
- Radish seed
- Malt
- Mulberry
- Hawthorn,
- “Vitamins”
Tthe first 4 ingredients are not weight loss herbs. I've already covered these ingredients in my first Zi Xiu Tang review. Let’s now talk about all the other ingredients.
Zi Xiu Tang Ingredients and Side Effects
Senna. Senna is a laxative. Because Zi Xiu Tang contains senna, it’s possible that the same side effects from using too much senna may be seen in those who take Zi Xiu Tang. The side effects can include,
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramping gas/bloating
- Flatulence
- Dizziness
Because of diarrhea, products like Zi Xiu Tang that contain senna may in extreme cases cause excessive loss of electrolytes. This can lead to muscle weakness and maybe heart problems. This is because electrolytes are needed for muscle contraction and the heart is a muscle.
People using heart/blood pressure medications should not use senna-containing supplements or products that have similar laxative effects.
To highlight what can happen with senna overdose, there is a case report of a woman who developed liver failure after long-term use of senna tea.
In this report, the woman was drinking a liter of senna tea that contained 70 grams (2.5 oz) of senna fruit. Even with this amount, it took 3 years before liver failure presented itself. This is worth mentioning because everybody is different, and people often think “more is better,” which isn’t always true.
Unlike the laxative effect of fiber, senna is a non-fiber laxative. It works differently to relieve constipation. One of the ingredients in Senna is a class of compounds called anthranoids, which exert laxative effects by damaging the cells of the colon. Because of this, some have speculated that long-term use of senna, may increase the risk of cancer
Because senna supplements have not been studied for long-term use, it is hard to say if this is true or not.
Senna products should be avoided in people who have
- Hemorrhoids
- Heart disease / Blood pressure issues
- Abdominal pain
- Bowel obstructions
- Pregnant or nursing mothers (for obvious reasons)
- Diabetics
In theory, long-term use of senna supplements may make it harder to defecate as the person becomes dependent on the product.
People who take Zi Xiu Tang may notice that the color of their urine looks pink or rust-colored. This is probably due to the senna (and polygonum multiflorum, discussed below) and is not dangerous.
Update: In 2010 Senna was apparently removed from Zi Xiu Tang. Some people report that their bowel movements are less while others report no change. See the comments for more information.
Cassia. Zi Xiu Tang also contains Cassia. While the word cassia is sometimes used to describe the spice, cinnamon, I don’t think this is how they are using the word because cassia can also be another name for senna.
Both of cassia and senna are listed separately on the Zi Xiu Tang label; cassia appears first, followed by senna. Both words are sometimes used together (“cassia senna”). Other names for cassia senna are Cassia acutifola, and Cassia angustifolia.
If cassia on the Zi Xiu Tang label refers to cassia senna, then this, too, is a laxative and likely works synergistically with senna to promote a greater laxative effect.
Green Tea. Zi Xiu Tang also contains green tea. Because green tea contains caffeine, it’s theoretically possible that the caffeine may slightly raise metabolism. This is likely why the Zi Xiu Tang says “increase metabolism” and “increase energy” on the front of the display box. The box does not say how much caffeine is in Zi Xiu Tang.
Rhubarb. Zi Xiu Tang contains Rhubarb which also has laxative effects. It may also have estrogen-like effects. Rhubarb may act synergistically with senna and cassia to cause a greater laxative effect.
Aloe. Zi Xiu Tang contains aloe as well. Aloe juice also has a laxative effect however the bottle does not say if Zi Xiu Tang contains aloe juice or not.
Astragalus. Like all herbs, there are many types of Astragalus. Often used to treat the common cold, this herb does not seem to have any laxative effect. As for astragalus side effects, in large amounts (about 1 ounce, which is likely more than is in Zi Xiu Tang) this herb may increase the immune system which, while good for some can also be bad for others like those with some immune system disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Polygonum multiflorum. This is an herb also known as Fo-Ti and Ho Shu Wu. Some research notes Polygonum multiflorum has a mild laxative effect. At least 7 case reports have noted liver problems including hepatitis resulting from use/misuse of this herb.
Other reports hint that Polygonum multiflorum might alter blood sugar levels (that may be bad for diabetics).
On a side note, Polygonum multiflorum may also be found in supplements designed to lower cholesterol; research suggests that extracts may lower cholesterol and increase HDL. More research is needed to confirm this.
Gynostemma. Some websites say this herb can both cause both weight loss and weight gain. In this respect, Gynostemma might be classified as an adaptogen. An adaptogen is a non-medical term used in some circles to describe how a supplement “adapts” to your needs. Websites also claim that gynostemma has laxative effects.
Radish Seed. I could not locate any weight loss effects of this ingredient.
Malt: I could not locate any weight loss effects of this ingredient.
Mulberry. This contains fiber which acts as a laxative.
Hawthorn. People who take medications for high blood pressure or a heart condition should not use hawthorn or supplements containing Hawthorn. Hawthorn does influence the way the heart pumps. This means hawthorn can interact with your heart or blood pressure medications.
Vitamins. Zi Xiu Tang lists “vitamins” but does not indicate which vitamins it contains.
Ingredients that are Laxatives
To recap, here are the ingredients in Zi Xiu Tang that are laxatives
- Senna
- Cassia
- Rhubarb
- Aloe (if it contains Aloe juice)
- Polygonum multiflorum
- Gynostemma
- Mulberry
For more info see my review of Zi Xiu Tang Side Effects
Who makes Zi Xiu Tang?
The company that makes zi xiu tang is said to be the Guangzhou Zixiutang Biotechnology located in China. The strange thing is that I've never been able to find a picture of what this company looks like. Google searches turn up no pictures of the company. Even the website for the company – cn-zixiutang.com – does not show a picture of the company (the website no longer exists).
For more info on the company, see my review of the bee pollen weight loss supplement Slim Trim U.
Zi Xiu Tang Warning Label
If you read the label of Zi Xiu Tang you see this warning of who should not use the product (I'm quoting them verbatim):
“Not Suitable For:
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. People who suffer from either liver, kidney, Heart Disease, or High Blood Pressure. Adolescents, Elderly, Depressed people, or Anyone with bee or pollen allergies.”
Does Zi Xiu Tang Work?
There is little clinical evidence of weight loss effects for most of the ingredients in Zi Xiu Tang. If it really works, it may be due to laxative effects. Some websites that sell Zi Xiu Tang say the product does not contain sibutramine (weight loss drug), or other drugs like Rimonabant (weight loss drug), Phenytoin (anti-seizure drug) or Phenolphthalein (has laxative effects). This is perhaps a response to previous FDA action against bee pollen-containing weight loss supplements. Does it work as well without pharmaceutical enhancement? You tell me.
Awwwwwww poor Sammy hehehehehe yeah i went through that too…laughing with you, not at you (yeah right) 😀
Nina, have you increased your water intake? made any changes to diet? it could be fake pills, it could be if your diet is already semi- healthy, it could be many factors…without knowing your eating habits or stats before taking …hard to say
Something noticed was the more fat or refined sugar content of your diet, the more you feel effect of it. if you scrimp on water intake or eat relatively healthy, you wont notice much of effect (i eat healthy but got hit hard with side effects every time i tried having pizza / wing night with friends)…
Nina, I’m coming to the conclusion that whatever was in zxt in the past (I think it was more than senna) is not in some zxt bottles now. Some people are saying its doing stuff while others like yourself are saying its not working. Its like a lottery – how do you know your getting the right stuff?
Second day… Heather, you’re right haha. I went to the restroom an extra two to three times with a lot of bowel movement D:
It definitely does keep me energized and helps with my appetite. I didn’t get a chance to check my weight but will surely do it tomorrow. Well be right back! Got to use the restroom….
I’VE BEEN ON THESE PILLS FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS. MY FACE HAS BROKEN OUT, MY APPETITE HAS INCREASED,
AND NO CHANGE IN MY ENERGY LEVEL AT ALL. I COULD ACTUALLY TAKE THESE PILLS AND FALL ASLEEP. I HAVEN’T IN CHANGE IN BOWEL MOVEMENTS I MEAN WHAT’S GOING ON. WHEN WILL I SEE A CHANGE SHOULD I STOP TAKING THEM I SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST LOST A POUND BY NOW! ANY ADVICE. AND YES THESE PILLS ARE REAL
Sammy and Meka…most side effects dont start appearing til end of 2nd day/ morning of 3rd..sometimes not til 4th…be patient….if your like most, once you do start feeling effects…plan to be near restroom most of day it starts, though it does ease up after 2-3 days of that..
😀
Well i have some ZXT pills, on my second day already, have not experienced anything different. but its only the 2nd day, lol… I bought my bottle from amazon for 19.99 and i thought they were counterfeit until i put in the code on the 61131115 website. They were authentic and the distributor is FLoyd Nutrition. Im hoping to lose at least 50 pounds this year… I will try this for the 30 days and if i dont lose at least 10 pounds im going to opt out from taking these pills.
OOPS height correction 5’7 HAHAHA sorry Joe ;D
Took a pill this morning and felt no need to go to the restroom. My appetite was a bit curved and my intake of water did not change. I also felt no increase or decrease in energy too.
First day out of twelve: No results so far. Maybe I’m one of those people that didn’t work for them…. Only time will tell!
Height: **5’7
Weight: 155
I have been taking zxt for four months now. I have lost 25 pounds, but I have been very conscious of my eating habits and I also kayak competitively so I am very active. I’ve quit taking it now for a few reasons. I know everyone is different but this is what I experienced:
Firstly, no problems with bowel movements, some insomnia the first week taking it
Second, I’ve had some troubles with a wisdom tooth so I had to go on an antibiotic for it. The antibiotic simply did not work. I called my dentist and he put me on a stronger antibiotic and it still did not help. I notified my dentist I was taking it but he advised me to speak with my regular doctor because he did not know much on the subject.
Third, and most importantly, I got a kidney infection and kidney stones for the first time in my life. I’ve had a urinary tract infection once before when I was pregnant but that is the only problems I have ever had with my urinary tract / kidneys. After experiencing it when I was pregnant I make sure to try and follow all precautions to make sure I avoid a uti so I’m fairly certain I did not get it from my own personal neglect. Also, I experienced the same problem when taking antibiotics for the kidney infection that I did previously – first round didn’t work and I had to do another round. I stopped taking zxt and the second round of antibiotics fixed me up but the kidney stone was awful.
So I’ve stopped taking it completely. I don’t know if zxt had anything to do with my kidney problems but that was the only change I’ve made in my daily intake recently. I honestly loved the extra energy and appetite suppression I experienced when taking it but I’ve read it has been linked to kidney problems so I’m done.
Since taking the pills I have experienced headaches, I still craved sweets. I have changed my diet routine, I try to get out to walked everyday for at least an hour. I am in school and am raising my daughter who is 2 so sometimes I am not able to find the time. My food intake is sometimes a little sometimes a lot, it really just depends. I am up until 2 am some nights studying and get a midnight craving. For the most part I am trying to limit my portions.
Sounds good Sammy. Technically a BMI of 25 is “overweight” and your BMI is under 24. That said, since you are 6’7″ you are pretty tall so I’d expect you to have a higher BMI. Body Mass Index -BMI – in someone of your height may not be valid. You sound pretty skinny to me if you are only 155 pounds. Just wanted to mention that. See if you can get your body fat tested.
Another option is to take a tape measure wrap it around your waist at your belly button. You want a waist circumference of less than 40 inches (for women it’s less than 35 inches).
Just got a sample trial of 12 capsules! Going to start tomorrow and probably finish it somewhere around April 10 give or take a day. Will post results daily 😀
Height: 6’7
Weight: 155lbs.
BMI: 24
Goal: Lose around ten pounds
BTK excellent! that’s great news!
I am happy to report my doctor’s opinion on my raised level of Alkaline Phosphatase is “nothing to worry about”. He told me if it were twice that level and if the next two levels, AST and ALT were also out of range, then further tests would be in order.
He says my increase in exercise and weight loss probably caused my increased Alkaline Phosphatase. He was (and I am) happy with the rest of my results (decreased blood pressure, glucose, A1C and increased good cholesterol) that went along with my weight loss.
I still plan to wean myself off of ZXT now. I will always be a yo-yo with my weight — I know that. However, my goal is to decrease the amplitude of my weight swings to (I hope) seven pounds. I never again want to buy new clothes because of weight gain.
— BTK
Melissa, I do not recommend Senna supplements. In previous comments someone mentioned that some zxt distributors were recommending senna tea (since zxt no longer has senna) but I disagree totally. Senna can be dangerous. People have gotten liver problems from senna. I highly recommend you do not use senna supplements / senna tea of any kind. Ill be writing a review of senna in the near future.
Since senna is no longer in the pills, is anyone taking a senna supplement along with zi xiu tang. If so please let me know how its working out for you.
Thanks
Correction
I read my zi xiu tang bottle list of ingredients cassia or senna is not listed on the bottle or the box it came in, is there a reason for that omission?
hi joe 🙂 The HDL drop could be….remember I changed nothing? means no joining gyms…long walks…anything extra? most people do this with working out and dieting…i didn’t. i just wanted to check effects and if loss due to pills. i think that’s the reason why my level dropped…but until i get in to see real values, it is only speculation as i am not sure how much the drop was (and still in healthy level so it couldn’t be by much).
dreamgirl? my blood pressure went from 80/60 to around 110/ 80 range…it varied…so for me at least it did raise bp…but not true study research wise when you have a controlled subject group of 1. if you want to see if the zxt is doing bp raise…try off for 3-5 days then back on.
medications (otc and prescribed) have whats called a “half-life”. the half-life refers to how long it stays in your system after you stop taking it….this seems to keep effects going for a few days and testing bp with 1 day wouldn’t be enough. also …most people have water and fecal weight buildup…this eliminates that…so …first 1-2 weeks will show amazing loss but after is more slowly and usually if dieting and exercise, those will be what causes the loss from what i have seen personally and noticed in previous comments by others.
Angela….zxt doesn’t list complete ingredients nor the amounts of each in the pills…we know this due to effects caused and known ingredient effects…what they list doesn’t account for all effects seen….when manufacturer was contacted they didn’t comment on that to me.
Karina…are you experiencing any side effects? have you made any changes to diet (increase or decrease)? any change to daily routines? also the makers of zxt took out a key ingredient called senna that seemed to be the cause of the miraculous weight loss people were experiencing…so without that and with the questions i asked you…does lack of results make sense? if not..i am sure joe wouldn’t mind you explaining your diet / exercise routine so that we can help you see why it is not working…
something i noticed from some comments here and through friends who have taken this…sometimes people think this is a cure and can eat anything / do nothing…and have it work….yes company essentially claims that…and yes most people have loss of appetite and force themselves to eat..however…if your eating high calorie items, then it is only going to “help” so far…there is no miracle pill and though this makes many claims…remember…it is essentially a few laxatives / water pill like ingredients and a type of stimulant.
I have had no luck with these pills. I purchased them through Floyds nutrition. Anyone else have no luck and bought them at Floyds?
I just read my zi xiu tang bottle list of ingredients which is not on the bottle not the box it came in, is there a reason for that omission?
I’ve been taking zxt for about two weeks off and on and I must say I’ve lost a total of 17lbs I have been exercising every other day and it has help curve my appetite today I had such a severe case of constipation then it eventually turned into diarrhea for about 30 minutes.
I was running back and forth to the restroom then I had stomach cramps while using bathroom but other than that haven’t really experienced anything else.
well I’ll take that back I was off and on due to my BP it went up so my mom decided I should stop taking it for a day and see if its causing my BP to rise then when I took it and checked BP it wasn’t that bad at all so idk if thats something I should really be worried about but I hope I really start to see the changes in my weight…….