Woman hospitalised after drinking matcha once a week as health experts reveal unexpected side effect

A woman has issued a worrying warning after she claimed her love of matcha sent her to the hospital.

It's no secret that the pale green drink, which is made from the powdered leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, has become hugely popular all over the world in recent years.

With most high-street coffee chains adding matcha drinks to their menus and different flavour combinations popping up left, right and centre, the drink has firmly cemented itself as a Gen Z staple.

Back in 2023, matcha drinks saw a whopping 202 percent increase in sales in the UK, according to Orion Market Research, meanwhile the 'Matcha Tok' hashtag has racked up tens of millions of views on TikTok.

Some of the key reasons the drink is so popular are its health benefits, making it an attractive alternative to coffee.

One 2022 study found that drinking matcha tea can enhance your cognitive function and cardio-metabolic health, as well as decreasing stress and anxiety and improving memory - sounds great, right?

Matcha has become hugely popular in recent years and can be found in almost every coffee shop (Getty Stock Image)

Well, there is one side effect that's not been as widely discussed on social media, with health experts warning the drink could be putting you at risk of a serious health condition.

Due to the tannins it contains, consumers of matcha may begin suffering from low iron levels.

For those who are unfamiliar, tannins are a type of plant compound naturally found in foods and beverages that can stop our bodies from successfully absorbing iron.

So, some experts have advised that drinking it in moderation is the way forward, as well as making sure that you're incorporating iron into your diet in other ways if you're a big matcha drinker.

Someone who found themselves face to face with this issue was Lynn Shazeen, from South Carolina, who began drinking matcha six months ago - around one a week.

Lynn recently shared a video of herself on an IV drip in hospital, alongside the caption: "RIP to my matcha obsession era. Lesson learnt."

And she has since opened up about exactly what happened, including why she believes the green milky drink is the culprit.

Three months into her self-professed 'matcha obsession', she began noticing some changes in her body - fatigue, feeling cold and occasional heart palpitations.

Lynn found out that her iron levels had almost halved since she began drinking matcha (Getty Stock Image)

She went to the hospital to get checked out and was shocked to find that blood tests showed her iron levels had nearly halved.

As reported by The Mirror, she was put on a detox IV and prescribed iron supplements to restore her levels and get her back to normal.

According to the publication, she explained: "It was the only change I had made to my diet and daily routine. Myself and my doctor worked through every possibility but it became clear that the matcha was the cause.

"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."

She added: "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."

But, as long as you're consuming the drink in moderation, you should be just fine (Getty Stock Image)

In another video, Lynn showed viewers her iron levels, which demonstrated she was 'super anaemic'.

However, this is no reason to start panicking as - although it's something to be aware of - it is quite rare for matcha to put you in hospital.

Dietitian Sarah Martel told the Toronto Star that while matcha has a higher percentage of tannins than other green teas, not every matcha drink will have the same amount of tannins; dilution with milk, water, and/or flavoured syrups can reduce the amount.

"A reduction in iron absorption at one meal or around one drink doesn’t necessarily mean an iron deficiency will be developed,” she said.

She added that this side effect of drinking matcha is unlikely to majorly affect you ‘as long as we’re consuming in moderation’.