Dr. Sarah Molasky

when you're losing weight in a way that's maintainable long-term, it's not going to be like that. It's going to be a slog. And that's what's really hard for people. And I think that's maybe what isn't communicated super accurately a lot of the time in a lot of social media about weight loss, where we get to see the before and after. And it's like, yeah, a year went by. No big deal.

when you're losing weight in a way that's maintainable long-term, it's not going to be like that. It's going to be a slog. And that's what's really hard for people. And I think that's maybe what isn't communicated super accurately a lot of the time in a lot of social media about weight loss, where we get to see the before and after. And it's like, yeah, a year went by. No big deal.

That was a year. That was a year of discouraging stuff in the middle that isn't being shown.

That was a year. That was a year of discouraging stuff in the middle that isn't being shown.

Yeah. So I fortunately or unfortunately went viral while I was on clinical rotations because I went on a gigantic rant about some of those like weight loss supplements and It wasn't tummy tea, although that's basically just a laxative. So you're, you're basically trying to poop really, really quickly so that you can eat stuff, but you're not absorbing it very well.

Yeah. So I fortunately or unfortunately went viral while I was on clinical rotations because I went on a gigantic rant about some of those like weight loss supplements and It wasn't tummy tea, although that's basically just a laxative. So you're, you're basically trying to poop really, really quickly so that you can eat stuff, but you're not absorbing it very well.

And that definitely does damage to your GI tract and should not be done. And many of those weight loss teas and supplements, again, also contain stimulants. But there are the biggest, Story I have about those sorts of weight loss shakes and supplements and teas and how they can impact your health is the woman I saw in the hospital was on rotation.

And that definitely does damage to your GI tract and should not be done. And many of those weight loss teas and supplements, again, also contain stimulants. But there are the biggest, Story I have about those sorts of weight loss shakes and supplements and teas and how they can impact your health is the woman I saw in the hospital was on rotation.

She was in there for like heart failure and other things. And one of the biggest issues they could not resolve was that her legs were super swollen with fluid. Right. So she had major water retention and they were pumping her with diuretics and just nothing was working.

She was in there for like heart failure and other things. And one of the biggest issues they could not resolve was that her legs were super swollen with fluid. Right. So she had major water retention and they were pumping her with diuretics and just nothing was working.

And I went in and, you know, did my medication rec, which is, you know, as a pharmacist or a nurse, you go through their med list. And I asked about supplements, health shakes. And her daughter was like, oh, mom, you're using that shake.

And I went in and, you know, did my medication rec, which is, you know, as a pharmacist or a nurse, you go through their med list. And I asked about supplements, health shakes. And her daughter was like, oh, mom, you're using that shake.

I looked up that shake, which was very difficult because they make it hard to find the ingredients list and cross referenced every ingredient and found out that one of the ingredients, which was ginseng, can cause diuretic resistance.

I looked up that shake, which was very difficult because they make it hard to find the ingredients list and cross referenced every ingredient and found out that one of the ingredients, which was ginseng, can cause diuretic resistance.

So when I said that, they switched to a different diuretic that was harder hitting, got the water retention under control, and I don't know what happened with the patient after that because I moved rotations at that point.

So when I said that, they switched to a different diuretic that was harder hitting, got the water retention under control, and I don't know what happened with the patient after that because I moved rotations at that point.

But, you know, for someone with heart issues, taking a stimulant containing weight loss supplement, which is what almost all these over-the-counter weight loss supplements contain, is a laxative probably, right? a stimulant almost definitely. And then a bunch of other things that might cause many problems.

But, you know, for someone with heart issues, taking a stimulant containing weight loss supplement, which is what almost all these over-the-counter weight loss supplements contain, is a laxative probably, right? a stimulant almost definitely. And then a bunch of other things that might cause many problems.

And another one is a lot of focus supplements, like certain types of like coffee for focus or whatever. A lot of those contain additional things that can raise blood pressure and suppress appetites through the stimulant activity, but can cause, you know, really big issues for the heart. In some cases for the liver, it's, I do not ever recommend them is the short answer.

And another one is a lot of focus supplements, like certain types of like coffee for focus or whatever. A lot of those contain additional things that can raise blood pressure and suppress appetites through the stimulant activity, but can cause, you know, really big issues for the heart. In some cases for the liver, it's, I do not ever recommend them is the short answer.