Important: This is not medical advice
This page is for general information only. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose, treat or cure anything. Herbs are complementary support, not replacements for prescribed medicine.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using any herb, tea or supplement, especially if you take medicine, are pregnant or nursing, have a health condition, or are planning surgery.
- Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine on your own.
- Get emergency care right away (call 911) for serious symptoms such as chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, confusion, or thoughts of harming yourself.
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Green tea
Camellia sinensis
- Traditional use
- A leaf tea drunk for centuries in East Asia, valued as a gentle everyday pick-me-up.
- How people take it
- Brewed as tea, or taken as green tea extract capsules and powders such as matcha.
- What the evidence shows
- NIH NCCIH says that green tea has been studied for many conditions, and there is not strong evidence that it prevents or treats disease or helps with weight loss. Drinking it as a beverage is generally considered safe for most people.
- Cautions and interactions
- Contains caffeine, which can cause jitters, trouble sleeping and a fast heartbeat. Concentrated green tea extract supplements have been linked to rare liver problems, so NCCIH advises caution. Green tea has some vitamin K, which can affect warfarin, and it can reduce iron absorption. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about stimulant, heart and blood-thinner medicines.
More herbs
Where to read more
The information here was written for this site as a plain-language overview. For current, detailed and regularly reviewed information, check the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Mayo Clinic, which both have herb and supplement fact sheets. Your pharmacist can also check your medicines for interactions. Research changes over time, so these sources are always the better place to confirm the latest guidance.
Important: This is not medical advice
This page is for general information only. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose, treat or cure anything. Herbs are complementary support, not replacements for prescribed medicine.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using any herb, tea or supplement, especially if you take medicine, are pregnant or nursing, have a health condition, or are planning surgery.
- Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine on your own.
- Get emergency care right away (call 911) for serious symptoms such as chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, confusion, or thoughts of harming yourself.
