Green tea is a great detox aid and a highly sought after beverage for weight loss. However, like any good thing, green tea also has its downsides. In moderation and the absence of certain conditions, green tea is safe. Nevertheless, the disadvantages of green tea may be worsened by the quantity taken, the characteristics of the person taking them, and the conditions that the person is in a while taking them.
WHO SHOULD NOT DRINK GREEN TEA?
If you are pregnant or are breastfeeding, you may want to stay away from drinking green tea as it can pose a danger to you or your child. It thus goes without saying that children too should be exempt from taking green tea.
People with blood problems, glaucoma, osteoporosis, heart conditions, anxiety disorders, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome and liver complications are at a heightened risk of worsening after taking green tea.
Certain medications can counteract with green tea, so you also want to stay away from it when you have this complication.
CAN GREEN TEA HAVE SIDE EFFECTS?
Yes. Green tea contains caffeine and catechins, and this may lead to certain unwanted effects.
12 SURPRISING DISADVANTAGES OF GREEN TEA
1. WORSENS BLOOD COMPLICATIONS
Some people take blood thinners because their blood coagulates easily. On the other hand, there are people whose platelets are ineffective, so they tend to bleed excessively when injured.
Anyone with anemia or an iron deficiency should also be wary of taking green tea. In this analysis, it was shown that when green tea is taken long term, it leads to a decline in iron bioavailability (a vital mineral in haemoglobin production).
If you belong to any of these categories, you may want to stay away from green tea because it contains vitamin K. This nutrient causes the above side effects and even counteracts with anti-coagulant medicine.
2. CAUSES BIRTH-RELATED COMPLICATIONS
If you are expectant and take more than 200mg of green tea a day, you could become predisposed to a miscarriage.
Furthermore, when you carry the pregnancy to term, your child may have congenital disabilities that stem from the absence of folic acid.
What’s more, breastfeeding babies can ingest the caffeine from green tea through breast milk and develop other health complications.
3. COULD DAMAGE YOUR LIVER
The liver is the organ that is primarily responsible for the removal of toxins from the body. In other words, it is your biological cleanser.
Therefore, if you take green tea daily, and in large quantities, you may strain your liver. This is because you would accumulate a lot of caffeine which would be difficult to remove.
As a precaution, do not go beyond 4 cups of green tea a day.
4. CAN COUNTERACT WITH MEDICATIONS TO CAUSE SEVERE OUTCOMES
If you are taking any stimulant drugs like amphetamines, cocaine or ephedrine, consuming green tea could cause major heart problems.
Likewise, you shouldn’t take green tea if you are on Nadolol, Adenosine, Bortezomib, Cimetidine, antibiotics, or contraceptives.
When you are on these drugs, your body’s ability to eliminate caffeine is compromised, thereby making you prone to jitteriness, fast heart rate, headaches, and other side effects of caffeine.
5. PREDISPOSES YOU TO THYROID DYSFUNCTION
This is one of those disadvantages of green tea that is like a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it can help to reduce the risk of developing thyroid cancer.
On the other hand, it could lead to thyroid dysfunction. This is especially applicable to women who have already reached menopause.
The catechins in green tea can cause thyroid abnormalities and even lead to thyroid cancer if taken in large amounts.
6. MAY CAUSE MALE INFERTILITY
One of the scariest disadvantages of green tea for men is that it may affect their ability to reproduce.
Experiments like this one that were done on lab animals have shown that continuous exposure to green tea extract leads to a decline in reproductive output, sperm production, and the quality of sperm DNA.
You may want to ease up on green tea owing to this outcome as the polyphenols in it may heighten the probability of infertility.
7. COULD INTERFERE WITH SLEEP PATTERNS
Green tea contains caffeine which often has effects on sleep patterns. If you take green tea close to bedtime and in large quantities, you could develop sleep disruptions.
This means that you may struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep, or may become increasingly sensitive to disruptions. In case you are already susceptible to sleep problems, then green tea should be avoided.
8. MAY CAUSE DIZZINESS
The disadvantages of green tea are sometimes related to brain functioning. Taking too much green tea can cause dizziness or behavior, which is akin to motion sickness.
The above is often linked to tinnitus. One way to predict whether you’ll develop this side effect is to assess whether you have ringing in the ear.
However, for this outcome to manifest, you would have to take about 24 cups of the beverage.
9. CAN WORSEN ANXIETY DISORDERS
Some of the disadvantages of green tea are worsened by preexisting conditions like anxiety disorders.
Because of the caffeine in green tea, if you are disposed to jitteriness, anxiety and other mood disorders, you may start developing these conditions when you take too much green tea.
10. COULD CAUSE HEADACHES AND STOMACH COMPLICATIONS
Some people get headaches when they haven’t taken their regular cup of coffee. In this respect, the same thing can happen to you when you take green tea in high amounts.
Because green tea contains caffeine just like coffee, it may lead to this unwanted side effect.
Likewise, you may also react to the excessive presence of caffeine in your body through gastrointestinal complications. These may include stomach pain or even diarrhoea.
Err on the side of caution by only taking small amounts of this drink.
11. COULD LEAD TO BONE PROBLEMS
One of the most surprising disadvantages of green tea is its effect on bone health. For your bones to thrive, you need to absorb calcium without any restraints.
According to this study, lab animals were exposed to green tea extract. It was found that the rate of bone accumulation reduced tremendously in the exposed group.
Chances of developing osteoporosis are heightened when you have this complication.
You thus want to steer clear of green tea if you are already prone to bone problems. Alternatively, take the beverage in moderation.
12. COULD LEAD TO HEARTBURN
When you take this beverage excessively, you may have to deal with heartburn as one of the disadvantages of green tea.
Some people are prone to acid reflux. If you are one of them, then certain foodstuffs like green tea can make it worse.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Green tea is supposed to be a healthy drink with plenty of benefits.
However, when taken in excess, it could lead to most of the above outcomes. In a few instances, green tea may counteract with preexisting conditions or drugs to cause dire consequences.
Illnesses and conditions such as male infertility, miscarriage, blood complications and thyroid dysfunction should make you think twice about downing that extra cup of green tea.
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