11.06.2025 22:41
A 24-year-old young woman in Aksaray suffered severe liver damage due to drinking packaged herbal tea in an attempt to lose weight. The young girl fell into a coma but regained her health thanks to a liver transplant performed in Antalya.
Büşra K. (24), who frequently consumed packaged herbal tea to lose weight in Aksaray, fell into a coma due to liver failure. Büşra K., who was transferred to Antalya and placed on the national emergency organ waiting list, clung to life with a liver transplant.
PACKAGED HERBAL TEAS LED TO LIVER FAILURE
Büşra K., living in Aksaray, frequently used packaged herbal tea products to lose weight. The young woman’s daily consumption sometimes reached up to 4 cups, and during the same period, she also used painkillers, leading to various symptoms in her body. Red spots appeared on Büşra K.'s hands, joint pain increased, and she developed confusion. After the initial intervention in Aksaray, Büşra K.'s condition worsened, and she was transferred to the Organ Transplant Center of Antalya Training and Research Hospital with a preliminary diagnosis of liver coma. The evaluation here revealed that while her liver enzymes were not very high, her bilirubin levels had significantly increased.
SURVIVED WITH A LIVER TRANSPLANT
As no living donor could be found, Büşra K. was placed on the national emergency organ waiting list. A suitable donor was found within approximately 24 hours, and a liver transplant was performed. After the operation, Büşra K., who was treated in intensive care, had her liver functions return to normal. By the third week post-surgery, she was ready for discharge.
"SOMETIMES I DRANK 4 CUPS A DAY"
Büşra K. stated that her unconscious consumption led her to this situation, saying, "I was using green tea and linden. When I was sick, I would drink linden, and when I felt bloated, I preferred green tea. I was using packaged teas to lose weight. Sometimes I would drink one cup, and sometimes I would drink 4 times a day. I generally preferred ready-made teas from the market. People are still using these products, but I faced a very bad result. I no longer recommend it to anyone. It should never be used without a doctor's advice," she said.
"I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD FOR MY BODY, BUT THE RESULT WAS VERY BAD"
Büşra K. expressed that she turned to herbal teas due to social media and recommendations from those around her, saying, "I was following some dietitians, and they were also adding these teas to meals. At that time, I thought it was good for my body, but the result was very bad. My liver was damaged. I was also using painkillers. Red spots started to appear on my hands, my joint pains increased, and everything got out of control," she said.
"TEAS THAT SEEM INNOCENT LED TO A LIVER TRANSPLANT"
Prof. Dr. Arif Aslaner, the director of the Organ Transplant Center at Antalya Training and Research Hospital, provided information about the patient's condition, stating, "Our patient presented with liver coma. The liver enzymes were not very high, but the bilirubin levels were very high. We immediately conducted an evaluation and searched for a suitable living donor. When we couldn't find one, we placed the patient on the national emergency list. A suitable donor was found within 24 hours, and the transplant was performed. Our patient stayed in intensive care for 2-3 days. The enzymes returned to normal, and her liver started to function healthily. We are currently in the third week post-surgery and have reached the discharge stage," he said.
"DO NOT USE HERBAL PRODUCTS UNCONSCIOUSLY"
Prof. Dr. Arif Aslaner emphasized that there are important lessons to be learned from the case, stating, "The patient used various herbal teas and supplements due to being slightly overweight or based on the recommendations of dietitians she followed on social media. These seemingly innocent products caused serious damage to her liver. Before using such products, one should definitely consult a specialist. Herbal teas and weight loss products spread through social media can lead to serious health problems. Our aim is to create social awareness. People should think twice before using these products," he said.