Pop star Demi Lovato has come in for criticism on social media for promoting a brand of ‘fat-burning’ detox tea which contains a laxative element with potentially harmful side effects on a consumer’s health.

The singer posted a photo on Instagram on Tuesday (April 25th) of herself holding a bottle of Teami tea, promoting the health firm’s 30-day detox programme with the caption “this year is all about #selflove.”

However, fans and health experts quickly urged Lovato to take down the image – which, at the time of writing, she still hasn’t – saying that the product contained a laxative known as senna leaf, which also FDA-approved, health officials warned irritates the colon and removes important nutrients from the bowels.

A post shared by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on

Fans accused the 24 year old star of confusing her messages, promoting healthy body image while at the same time giving a platform for an unregulated weight-loss product.

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“So disappointed to see you promoting a sham company in this way & calling it ‘self-love’,” one follower wrote underneath one of a series of bikini pics she’s been putting up this week.

“This is coming from a person who suffered from bulimia and restricting?? You're going to be promoting exactly what you apparently advocate against?” said another angry fan.

Senna leaf was last year removed from the products of Kylie Jenner’s preferred detox tea firm, Slendertoxtea, for precisely the concerns listed above. Women are warned against using anything with the ingredient during pregnancy and nursing, and people shouldn’t use it if they’ve experienced abdominal pain or bowel problems.

“There was such controversy around it, we didn't want to be involved in anything that could cause health issues or sell things people were concerned about,” Slendertoxtea said back then.

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