A woman has shared her experience of how her matcha tea habit led to heart palpitations and required hospital treatment.
Lynn Shazeen, 28, incorporated matcha into her diet about six months ago, consuming it at least once a week. Her intention was to introduce more anti-inflammatory foods and drinks into her system.
Lynn explained, “I had been dealing with some inflammation so my doctor had suggested that I adjust my diet. Matcha, and green tea in general, is known for its anti-inflammatory properties so I decided to start drinking one once a week or so.”
After three months, Lynn began experiencing unusual symptoms, including fatigue, feeling cold, and occasional heart palpitations.
As her symptoms worsened over the next two weeks, Lynn sought medical attention and had her blood work done, revealing a significant drop in her iron levels.
Tests indicated her iron levels had nearly halved, prompting doctors to administer a detox IV and prescribe iron supplements.
“It was the only change I had made to my diet and daily routine,” Lynn noted regarding her matcha consumption before her health issues arose. “Myself and my doctor worked through every possibility but it became clear that the matcha was the cause.”
Lynn has anemia, a condition characterized by insufficient healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body, and she has experienced low iron levels before.
Research, including studies supported by the National Institutes of Health, has found that green tea, including matcha, can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb iron from food. Tea contains catechins, which can impede iron absorption—a significant concern for those at risk of low iron levels.
Lynn remarked, “I noticed I kept feeling a lot colder and more tired than usual but I had no idea what it was until I got the tests done. As soon as I saw that my iron levels had dropped from 23 to 13, I knew immediately that it was the matcha that had caused it.”
Discovering that her weekly matcha habit could be behind her symptoms was unexpected for Lynn.
“It was a bit worrying, but as a health professional, I stayed calm,” she said. “Since getting the IV, I’ve stopped drinking matcha and now only drink regular tea. I also take iron pills and vitamin C tablets to bring my levels back up.”