Kombucha is commonly called a mushroom, but it actually is a colony of bacteria and yeast that people create for health benefits. Kombucha is usually taken as a tea, prepared by adding the mixture to sugar and black or green tea, then allowing it to ferment. The fermented liquid contains several acids along with B vitamins. Kombucha tea is claimed to stimulate the immune system, prevent cancer and improve liver function, but no clinical evidence supports these claims, according to the Mayo Clinic. Additionally, some dangerous side effects have been reported.
Contamination
Contamination is likely during Kombucha tea preparation if people brew it in non-sterile conditions, as noted by the Mayo Clinic. The tea may contain molds and fungi, some of which make people sick. These substances can be particularly dangerous and even fatal to patients with HIV, cancer or other conditions affecting the immune system. Reports have been made of toxic and allergic reactions.
Lead Poisoning
Two cases of lead poisoning were reported after the individuals drank Kombucha tea made in a lead-glazed ceramic container, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). The acids in the tea leach lead, so people should not brew Kombucha tea in ceramic, lead crystal or painted containers.
Liver Damage
Kombucha tea also has been linked to liver problems. The MSKCC cites studies involving a case of jaundice (yellowed skin or eyes due to liver damage) and hepatotoxicity (chemically related liver damage) after the individuals consumed Kombucha tea.
Kidney Failure
"The Journal of Intensive Care Medicine" published a case report involving a severe reaction in a 22-year-old HIV patient following consumption of Kombucha tea. Complications included hyperthermia, lactic acidosis and acute kidney failure.
Cutaneous Anthrax
Twenty people in Iran contracted cutaneous anthrax, a bacterial skin infection, after applying Kombucha grown in unhygienic conditions, according to the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Patients were treated with oral or injected penicillin.
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