A nurse from Washington DC was admitted to hospital after her weekly intake of matcha aggravated an underlying health condition, Newsweek reported.
Lynn Shazeen said she had begun drinking matcha once a week, encouraged by claims of its anti-inflammatory properties. After three months, however, she noticed troubling changes in her health.
"I had increased fatigue, itchiness, and I was frequently cold," she told the outlet. "I've always been one to track my health stats in my health planner, so the minute I had an increase in those symptoms, I knew it was time for a follow-up."
She consulted a medical professional and underwent blood tests, which revealed that she had become severely anaemic. Shazeen already had a history of anaemia, but the consumption of matcha appeared to have made her condition worse.
"Despite rounds of iron infusions previously, I was prescribed iron pills with vitamin C to this date," she explained.
According to her account, she stopped drinking matcha in July when her iron levels dropped sharply. Since then, she has chosen to drink tea instead.
"I had knowledge of the effects, hence my discipline to drink once or twice a week, but it turns out even that was a lot. I can't imagine those who drink it every second of the day," Shazeen said. "My energy levels are picking back up and the itchiness subsided immensely."
She recorded her experience and posted it on TikTok (@lynnshazeen). The video went viral, attracting more than six million views and over 309,000 likes. Through the post, she said she hoped to raise awareness about the risks.
According to Mayo Clinic, anaemia is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient healthy red blood cells or haemoglobin to carry oxygen to tissues. Symptoms may include tiredness, weakness and breathlessness.
Matcha, a powdered form of green tea, is often praised for its high levels of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It has been linked to better concentration, stable energy levels and hormone balance. However, its caffeine content and interaction with certain health conditions mean that moderation is advised.
Dr Parth Bhavsar, a board-certified family medicine physician, told Newsweek that matcha could act as what he described as "an iron grabber".
"Matcha is a powdered green tea that contains polyphenols, which basically binds to iron in the intestines and blocks the absorption," Bhavsar explained.
He added that the timing of consumption was significant: "More matcha consumed closer to mealtime results in less iron being absorbed. The easy way to fix this is to enjoy matcha between meals. You can also pair iron-rich plant foods with vitamin C, which can increase absorption and counteract the negative effects of matcha to some extent."
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