Kombucha tea is a concoction of tea, sugar and a colony of yeast and bacteria that has recently become popular in the United States, according to MayoClinic.com. Kombucha tea contains B vitamins, vinegar and other chemical compounds and its purported health benefits include improved immunity and digestion. However, some believe that the potential dangers of drinking the tea outweigh the benefits.
Potential Risks
Kombucha tea is often sold as a dietary supplement in the United States, which means the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, doesn't have to approve it for safety before its manufacturer puts it on the market. Due to lack of regulation, some kombucha tea products may not contain the labeled amount of herbs or other substances and they may even contain some contaminants, according to the American Cancer Society. The dosage isn't standardized either, so two batches or brands could vary the amount of ingredients that are included in each dose. Additionally, many varieties of Kombucha tea haven't been tested to determine whether they negatively interact with other foods, medications or herbs. Only when a product causes ill effects in consumers does the FDA step in to investigate. Home-brewed Kombucha tea can also be dangerous if the brewing environment isn't ideal: Brewing in a ceramic pot could cause lead poisoning and brewing in a nonsterile environment could cause contamination.
Medical Cases
In a 1995 medical case, two women who regularly consumed the same batch of Kombucha tea for two months were hospitalized with a very high levels of acid in their body fluids. As a result, one woman died of cardiac arrest within two days and the second woman went into cardiac arrest but was stabilized, according to the American Cancer Society. In a 2009 case, a man also developed high acid levels and experienced symptoms such as fever and breathing troubles within 12 hours of drinking Kombucha tea.
Risk Factors
Because Kombucha tea consumption has been linked to health risks, you should ask your doctor whether he thinks you could safely consume it. He may tell you to abstain if you have immune problems such as HIV, cancer and other medical conditions. He will also recommend that you not use the tea if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding.
Reducing Risks
Because several cases of health problems have been linked to Kombucha tea and because insufficient evidence links it to health benefits, MayoClinic.com recommends avoiding the tea until definitive studies are able to quantify the benefits and the risks. If you still intend to drink Kombucha tea, the pre-bottled variety you can purchase at a grocery or health store may be safe as long as you store it properly and keep it cold. Still, check with your doctor first to determine how much Kombucha tea he thinks would be a safe and moderate amount for you to consume. Also, if you experience any negative health effects after consuming a store-bought Kombucha product, ask your doctor to report your case to the FDA's MedWatch program.
References
- MayoClinic.com: What is Kombucha Tea? What Are the Health Benefits of Kombucha Tea?; Brent A. Bauer, M.D.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Unexplained Severe Illness Possibly Associated with Consumption of Kombucha Tea; December 8, 1995
- Bastyr University: Kombucha: The Elixir of Life?; Debra Boutin et al; November 17, 2008
- Journal of General Internal Medicine; Probable Gastrointestinal Toxicity of Kombucha Tea; R. Srinivasan, MD; October, 1997
- American Cancer Society: Kombucha Tea
- Journal of Intensive Care Medicine; A Case of Kombucha Tea Toxicity; A. SungHee Kole et al; May-June 2009
Member Comments