Side effects of kombucha tea

Kombucha tea is made from a plant resembling a mushroom and it includes various species of yeast and bacteria. It is promoted as a true elixir of health however there are not many scientific facts that can support those claims.

What those who preach about the benefits of this tea believe is that it can cure everything from baldness and insomnia, over digestive problems, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, to AIDS and cancer. Those supporting this tea may even go so far as to insist on it being so beneficial to the immune system that it can overturn the aging process. They explain one of the most shocking claims regarding its curing cancer by saying that the kombucha tea has substances which block the effects of those which harms the cells and completely cleanses the organism and boosts the immune system. After getting rid of the disease, the tea is said to be a protection against its return. Unfortunately these statements have no scientific basis.

In order to improve the effect of the tea, it is recommended to have a healthy balanced diet. That means consuming a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables and avoiding caffeine, alcohol, sprayed foods, smoking and artificial colors and flavors.

However, not only does the tea fail to deliver the scientific support to its claims, but it also has some serious side effects. It runs the risk of being poisonous because of the amount of acids it contains. There are examples of people who frequently consumed it being hospitalized, and in some cases, the consequences of the tea even lead to death. The amount of the acids in the body tends to provoke heart problems like heart attacks.

Therefore, drinking too much of this tea is to be avoided. Also, it can have a completely opposite effect on people with the HIV virus than the one they are claimed to have, because they have a tendency of acquiring a bacteria which can be very harmful for the people suffering from this disease. Women who are expecting a child are not to use it under any circumstances, as well.

The problem is that not nearly half of the possible side effects of this beverage have been discovered, so it is quite risky to consume it, especially when already suffering from a disease because its ingredients are far from neutral. In fact, when combined with an undesirable substance they can have a very dangerous effect particularly when the immune system is already in jeopardy as they can damage it further.

Anyhow, if one decides to consume the tea after all, it is highly recommended to consult a doctor before that just to make sure that it will not do more harm than good.