A 28-year-old woman, Lynn Shazeen, shared her experience of being hospitalized and put on an IV drip due to health issues related to her consumption of matcha tea. Lynn, a nurse from Washington D.C., had incorporated matcha into her diet about six months ago, drinking it at least once a week. However, after three months, she started experiencing symptoms like fatigue, heart palpitations, and feeling unusually cold. Concerned about her health, Lynn visited the hospital where she discovered that her iron levels had significantly dropped, nearly halving from before.
Attributing her health complications to matcha, Lynn stated that it was the only dietary change she had made during that time. She underwent a detox IV treatment and was prescribed iron supplements to address her low iron levels caused by anemia, a condition where the blood lacks sufficient healthy red blood cells to transport oxygen adequately.
Lynn had started consuming matcha to introduce more anti-inflammatory elements into her diet following advice from her doctor to combat inflammation. Despite feeling abnormally cold and fatigued, she initially did not realize the cause until her test results showed a drastic decrease in iron levels.
Research supported by the National Institutes of Health revealed that green tea, including matcha, can hinder the body’s absorption of iron from food. Lynn, being a health professional herself, responded calmly to her health scare by discontinuing matcha consumption, switching to regular tea, and supplementing with iron and vitamin C to restore her iron levels.
Matcha, a powdered form of green tea made from the youngest tea leaves, has gained popularity in recent times, with various cafes offering matcha-based beverages and treats such as lattes, milkshakes, donuts, cookies, and pancakes. Despite its antioxidant properties, Harvard Health emphasized the need for further research in humans to substantiate claims about matcha’s potential health benefits, particularly in cardiovascular health. The article also highlighted that the antioxidant effects of matcha can be diminished when exposed to heat, such as when prepared with hot water or baked into food products.
