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.
Danielle – I wasn’t the one that took the separate ingredients … it was “S”. I’ve been taking the Zi Xiu pills as they are. I’m on Day 25 of it and so far so good.
As someone mentioned earlier, the FDA is not the holy grail for what’s best for you. 3 years ago I was prescribed a drug that did a lot of damage, too much to get into but … the point is it was an FDA approved drug. In fact the FDA approve lots of drugs and then later have to pull it from the market.
There is more going on with this supplement though than just the appetite suppressant. I’ve been on low calorie, low carb, restrict that… restrict this, diets in the past 3 years and it did not amount to any weight loss, in fact the opposite.
I’m pretty happy with this product, I have to say … regardless of the adage “if it sounds too good to be true…”. I’m down 8.2 lbs as of this morning.
But yeah, to those who feel really awful on it, and your body is rejecting it with dizziness, elevated blood pressure, etc. … it should be a no-brainer; stop taking it.
Danielle I can only speak for myself but for me, other than a laxative effect of some of the zi xiu tang ingredients, I could not determine any other possible mechanism why zi xiu tang would cause weight loss. since not everybody appears to have a laxative effect, that makes me wonder if something else is going on.
A. Nikki- great comment. Some websites make it appear to be a magic pill where you can eat whatever you want and not exercise but I think that it’s mainly a useful tool in changing the gears in your brain to want to eat healthy and exercise. Yes you will lose weight, but if you don’t work out, you will lose muscle mass. And if you don’t learn how to eat healthy, you’re still not going to get beneficial nutrients your body needs. And most importantly, if you don’t follow the directions like drinking enough water, etc you will undoubtedly suffer from headaches, etc.
B. Inertia, Did you only take the main ingredients or all the ingredients such as senna, aloe, hawthorne, green tea, rhubarb, cassia, astragulus, polygonum multiflorum, lotus leaf, gynostemma, radish, malt, and mulberry?
I think what is special about this is that the scientists took the best parts from each of the ingredients to make it what it is. I hardly believe they slipped anything else in. I just think they stuck the best parts and made a highly concentrated serum, so to speak.
Thank you replying and my first comment is on the first page right about Inertias first comment.
Nikki. I dont remember seeing your previous comments and I dont see anyone else with the name Nikki. Regardless I’m glad things are getting back to normal for you. I understand your frustration with the idea medications vs supplements. For myself the varied side effects people report do make me wonder if there is an undisclosed ingredient in zi xiu tang however your explanations for some of the side effects do make some sense also. Enjoy your Wii Fit workout 🙂
Well not that anyone commented on the comments i wrote (not sure why seeing as there is rather large back and forth discussion here) but i would just like to let whoever know that i returned to the DR’s and my bloodpressure is back to normal. 128 over 80 and It WAS 140 over 93. Im still on the VERY low dose Hydrochlorothiazise 12.5mg which is the lowest dose you can get. Im down about 60lbs total,Down 4 pant sizes (comfortably) sleeping much better at night no interruptions from snoring. Not too much else to say i guess. I think its funny how everyone is going to such lengths to determine exactly whats going on with this pill like its a conspiracy when you have products on the shelf that openly admit they kill people and are more dangerous then anything listed on this bottle…if you aren’t sure don’t take it. Bottom line. If you take it and don’t like how it makes you feel stop. crazy idea huh? If your getting dizzy your not drinking enough water or eating. Your getting dehydrated and your blood sugar is dropping. If you are going to the bathroom too much or not at all look at your diet. You cant eat junk food and fast food all day and drink soda and coffee (which is a diuretic) and expect NOT to go the bathroom all day. If you are overloading your diet with diary products of course”the change” is also having an issue in the bathroom,it all has to do with your own bodys chemicals. your own body is going to react different at each cycle of your life. For example..a lot of females that take this find their period comes late or early the first month or 2 then evens out. During that time you don’t lose as much weight and your appetite will increase..things that happen normally. The pill is amazing yes but its not a miracle worker. Its not going to reverse everything your body wants to do. Well know that I’ve ranted Im off to do my morning Wii Fit Workout! Have a safe weight loss journey everyone!
Dee. Based on what you said you experienced I don’t recommend you use zi xiu tang again.
Hi i wanted to get some info on these pills. the frist week i took them i experice headaches on the two sides of my head and then my heart was beating so much i thought i was going to have a heartactt then i was getting very parnode and anything would make me scared then one day i was feeling hot and claming so i stopped taken them they did really work i did lose 8lbs but i scared to take them even after a week i my heart was racing so much i couldn’t sleep bc i could hear my hearbeat so loud like i just took a jog it took 2 weeks for it to stop and now its been 3 weeks and i still don’t feel right do you have an advice on whether i should take them again?
That was a pretty interesting experiment you did – taking the ingredients in zi xiu tang separately and getting a different result from when you took zi xiu tang. Thanks for sharing that!
Yeah I understand where you’re coming from Cathy. I had wondered about the exclusivity part as well.
This was what the email from Floyd said:
“As the largest exclusive Zi Xiu Tang distributor in the US and Canada, all requests for Zi Xiu Tang are forwarded to our company.”
The only thing I can add to that was my e-mail to the manufacturer, where I specifically mentioned I was from Canada, and had inquired on clinical studies and volume pricing, they (the manufacturer) forwarded my request to Floyd (I actually saw my original e-mail attached to their response) … instead of giving me a list of qualified distributors to chose from. I only thought it worth mentioning because of the counterfeit products out there.
In any case, it’s neither here nor there…I think the forum is really to discuss our experience with the product, good or bad. There is obviously something at work here in these ingredients. My bottle does not have ‘senna’ listed on the ingredients and I have no reason to believe there’s any in there as I’ve stated a couple of times I’ve had no laxative effects …in fact I’ve had to augment in that area.
There are health related articles (where they’re not selling anything) out there on bee pollen tauted as a ‘super food’ and an ‘appetite suppressant’ but I didn’t see any clinical trials attached to them. I’d REALLY like to see some scientific data personally. I’m a big believer in the ‘double-blind’ studies, where even those documenting the results are not aware of who is on the product vs the placebo (only a 3rd party knows) … as even they can be biased in the way they format their findings.
I was also wondering how come I never heard of this product before … there’s people on here that have had 1 to 2 years experience with it …it’s not like I haven’t been scouring the globe daily (seriously) looking for a solution to my ‘metabolic syndrome’. Usually this kind of success in a weight loss product you’d think would be big news. Obviously I wish I had known about it sooner considering I’m finally losing ‘some’ weight.
I had taken zxt and both me and my husband had severe dry mouth, and no appetite. Works good in that respect but the trips to the bathroom and sleep disturbances, along with the dry mouth and the appetite suppression really made me think twice, so we purchased the main ingredients separately from our health food store and started taking them. did not have any of the effects that you get from zxt, which makes us wonder if there is not something else in the product that is not listed on the ingredients list. There has been a lot of supplements “herbal weight-loss” supplements that come out of china that have had actual diet drugs such as phen phen in them. This is a drug that has been outlawed in the usa ,also, many other drugs and stimulants have been found in these so called natural supplements.I am not saying this is one of them but ….who regulates this company in china? who is to say what is or isn’t in this stuff?There is no regulating these products and we are basically trusting an unknown company who is not regulated in any way, to sell us pills that have not been annallized by anyone.Also, I have talked to many Naturalists and all have told me the same thing….that there is no herbal concoction that can kill the appetite to the degree that this product does, wich leads me to suspect that something other then the listed ingrediants , is responsable for the total loss of desire for food.
I am a shorty indeed! 5′”3 to be exact. Yes, the above mentioned distributer is indeed the company that I bought my zxt from, so don’t count on them to “bad-mouth” the product, it’s how he makes his living. He is only one of several certified sellers of the product here in the United States. If I were you Joe, I wouldnt be giving him any free advertiseing by posting the name of his company (just me).
Cathy
hello, I have had a lot of success with this product. I lost 40 lbs in year (could have done it faster but I wanted to do it slower)
I’m seeing a lot of my friends also lose weight, so I know a few things.
(Any high or dizziness you may experience means you are not drinking enough water.)
But I do have a question which I am trying to resolve. My mom and one other person I know, are both in their menopausal stages. And both are not experiencing the detox stage or aka frequent bowel movements. They said they have more energy and less craving but the weight is just not coming off. I’ve made sure both women are taking their vitamins but I just don’t understand.
I was hoping to hear from anyone in their menopausal stage who has had any success or has had an unsuccessful experience. I would really like some feedback in this department if at all possible. Thank you kindly.
Cathy thanks for the update on how you are doing! Glad things are getting back to normal!!
You mentioned metabolism, while I’m not sure if you have an underactive thyroid issue but research generally shows that taller people and heavier people tend to have higher metabolic rates than shorter, thinner people. If you do have hypothyroidism, then forget what I just said 😉
Inertia thanks for doing all that work! I may contact them in the future and see what I can dig up 🙂
I know, I would have liked to have seen “something” from them on the research as well.
I emailed the company direct in China thru the e-mail on their website (that’s given in the pamphlet included in the packaging the pills came in). the website is cn-zixiutang.com
However, my e-mail was forwarded to ‘Floyd Nutrition’ in Pennsylvania, who apparently have the exclusive distributorship rights in N.A. and is handling all their inquiries.
Floyd Nutrition just happened to be the place I ordered my first bottle from. And then when I found a place that sold them here in Toronto, I noticed when I got home “Floyd Nutrition” was marked on their boxes as well. Their pricing was the same so I didn’t really care (our dollar is at parity with the $U.S. now).
They seem very professional and candid to deal with, so nothing bad to report there.
Perhaps you could push them further on those studies …it’s up to you.
I understand if you can’t post this because of mentioning a specific distributor. On the other hand though, considering it came from the manufacturer themselves, it might help people distinguish between the real stuff and the counterfeits. It would appear, all the legitimate product in N.A. should theoretically have “Floyd” stamped on the box (not the bottle – well at least that’s how mine were).
Again, it’s your call whether you post this or not – was just letting you know how I went about getting that information.
This is day 11 (or 12) off of zxt. The dry mouth is finally gone! and as I stated before the weight is back as well as the inches, but I dont care!!!! My blood pressure is back to normal, my sleeping pattern has normalized, my mood swings have gone back to hell where they belong (lol), I’m feeling very happy again. I’ll find another means to help “kick start” my metabolism,but in the meantime I’m going to hold on to my unused portion of zxt just in case any lawsuits arise (lol).
Cathy
Inertia thanks for writing this. Not sure what they mean when they say the “integrity of the results”. That could mean the studies were not quality. It would be nice to see the ziu xiu tang studies so we could see what they did and how they did it. I appreciate you investigating this 🙂
This is the response I received regarding the request for data on clinical trials:
“There have not been any clinical trials done in the US. China did some years ago but the integrity of the results were not maintained so the information was useless.”
Hey Tamera I know the “HIGH” feeling your talking about It happened too me also . It also kind of feels like your dizzy. At times it feels like you just need to lay down very quickly before you fall down. I am thinking about restarting the pills at half the dose maybe everyother day instead, just because the weight loss is really great. Also the senna that was said to be in it is not in it any more. It is not listed in the ingredients of the last 2 boxes I have had.