Cassia acutifolia for Weight Loss?

I want to lose 15 pounds. I weigh between 128 -130 pounds and my height is 4'11''. I am currently about 15 pounds overweight. I wanted to use a natural method to help me loose weight in addition to diet and exercise. I want to know if the tea is safe to use. I do not want to risk my health. I have heard many stories of people who have taken pills or drank teas that have had serious side effects like racing hearts.

We have answered a similar question previously. Please see our website at www.richters.com. Choose "Q&A" from the main menu, then enter "cassia" for the search.
Cassia acutifolia (senna) is also called Cassia angustifolia. It does not have stimulating actions like ephedra. Ephedra was often used in weight loss formulas and did cause health problems. Senna is not a good choice for weight loss. It is a laxative and should be used only for chronic constipation. If it is used for more than a few days, the bowel often loses its ability to function normally without the help of a laxative. Senna should never be used in inflammatory bowel conditions.
For weight loss, please see other entries on our "Q&A" page. Enter the word "weight" for the search.