"Magic Honey" for weight loss: Women report dizziness, depression, and loss of control
Marketed on social media as a "natural" weight loss product, this substance is causing alarming symptoms in users. Women report dizziness, nausea, mood swings, and feelings akin to drug withdrawal.
Influencers present it as part of their morning routine, and TikTok pages promise a loss of two kilograms a week, claiming it suppresses cravings. The packaging says "Slimming Honey" in English, alongside inscriptions in Turkish, Arabic, and Russian, listing ingredients like honey, green tea, hibiscus, ginkgo, and rosemary. "Magic Honey," a pink, gel-textured liquid, is easily ordered via social media. A check by mako Health reveals that the product has no official importer in Israel, is not sold in pharmacies, and is marketed by private sellers importing it from Turkey.
Roy Omer, 25, from Tel Aviv, paid 400 shekels after seeing an influencer's post. "She seemed reliable, and I just wanted to lose a few kilograms," Roy says. However, after a week, her condition worsened: "I felt dizzy, drugged, as if I were losing control of reality. I had nausea and headaches." On the seventh day, her partner noticed she had become depressed, prompting her to stop using it.
Adi (a pseudonym), a 27-year-old graphic designer from Hadera, purchased the product via WhatsApp. Three days later, alarming symptoms appeared: heart palpitations, cold sweats, and a feeling that her body was changing. "It was scary. I couldn't work or concentrate. It took a week after stopping to feel like myself again," she admits.
"I lay in bed and couldn't move"
Shira, 23, bought the product from her manicurist. "Half an hour after taking it, my heart was racing, then calming down, then racing again. I had crazy headaches. I lay in bed, unable to move, waiting for it to pass," she recalls. Ortal, another user, experienced insomnia and an early menstrual cycle, while Mor from Bat Yam suffered from severe nausea and tremors after just three days.
When mako reporters contacted a seller, they were offered the "miracle product" for 280 shekels, with claims that it is 100% natural and even kosher-certified.
Expert Opinion
Shirel Tirosh, director of the eating disorders clinic at Maccabi Healthcare Services, warns: "Unregulated products may contain substances that accelerate metabolism or suppress appetite, causing blood pressure spikes, arrhythmias, and life-threatening conditions. Without supervision, you have no idea what you are putting into your body."
Dr. Sigal Frishman, national dietitian for Clalit hospitals, adds: "We have seen cases of severe liver damage requiring transplants after using such products. Often, laboratory tests reveal undeclared, prohibited medicinal substances in these 'natural' supplements. Remember: there are no safe shortcuts to weight loss. If a product sounds too good to be true, stop and consult a doctor."
