Detox Tea Plugged By Celebrities May Cause Unintended Pregnancy

One doctor is, dare we say it, spilling the tea on detox teas and their potential to get you pregnant. (Kind of.) In an interview with The Sun, Dr. Virginia Beckett, a spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, claimed that detox teas like Bootea and Flat Tummy Tea (AKA the ones you’ve probably seen plugged by celebrities like Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, and Kylie Jenner on Instagram) are prone to making people vomit or have diarrhea, which she said reduces the effectiveness of birth control. Lovely!

Source: Instagram

Beckett explained that detox teas often contain senna leaves, which have a laxative effect. She warned that tea drinkers who vomit or feel sick soon after taking the pill should consider using extra contraception, such as condoms or another pill. According to Beckett, as long as you’re sick or vomiting, the pill’s effects are most likely inactive.

“If a woman vomits within two hours of taking the contraceptive pill, it may not have been fully absorbed into her bloodstream so she should take another pill straight away,”Beckett said.

Source: Instagram

Apparently, tea companies know of this side effect, too. If you read the fine print on Bootea’s website, the brand acknowledges its “teas may affect the accuracy of the pill.” It continues: “We cannot comment on other forms of contraception and would ask you to consult your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before taking the tea,” Bootea’s site reads. Mmk.

As for Flat Tummy Tea (the one Kardashians often tout on Insta), the company also is aware of its teas’ negative effects on birth control.

“Our tea is all natural and super gentle, though as it works as a cleanse it can reduce the effectiveness of some medications,” a Flat Tummy Tea spokesperson told Now magazine.

Source: Instagram

However, Beckett warned that detox teas aren’t the only things that can reduce birth control’s effectiveness. Antibiotics, epilepsy, and HIV medication and herbal remedies like St. John’s Wort are also no good for the pill. Still, it’s doubtful you’re taking any of the latter medications with the intention of slimming down.

Keep in mind that these are only the findings of one group of doctors and Beckett’s advice should be taken with a grain of salt. But tbh you should always be wary of anything followed by #ad, regardless. Just saying. *Sips tea.*