If you are swayed by TV advertisements on special “slimming” drinks or juices or “slimming” tea that promise to reduce weight, stop right there. According to experts, there is no scientific evidence to support the claims of such “magic” products.

Health experts, including doctors and scientists from the National Institute of Nutrition, point out that these products are merely advertisement gimmicks and may actually do more harm than good. They often lead to renal and liver dysfunction by causing dehydration, as some products contain diuretics, they said. So instead of fat, the body actually loses water.

Moreover, certain drinks made from low-glycemic fruits only work when they are used as substitutes to regular food items, as calorie intake goes down, doctors said. But the drinks per se contains nothing to make a person slimmer. The director of NIN, Dr B. Sesikeran, said, “There has been no scientific study to support such claims; we aren’t sure of the ingredients that go into making these drinks. It’s a matter of substitutes. No one can become slim by drinking slim tea or juice, and eating regular food alongside. The only option is to substitute a meal with these drinks to lower the calorie intake. In that case, it’s best to drink a lot of clean water.”

But some low-glycemic fruits such as watermelon, papaya and pineapple are low in calorie and high in fibre, Dr Sesikeran said. “One can have these fruits or juices, but again, as substitute for a regular meal,” he added. Concurring, Dr V. Suresh Babu, senior nephrologist, Yashoda Hospital, said: “There’s no proper research about ingredients of these drinks. Rather, patients consuming such ‘slimming’ drinks for long end up with renal or liver dysfunction. Sometimes these drinks may contain diuretics that lead to dehydration and subsequent kidney failure”.

“As the body loses water, it automatically sheds weight as well, but the body’s fat content does not come down,” Dr Suresh Babu said.