A pharmacist has recently warned his followers on TikTok about certain Matcha side effects related to women’s menstrual cycle. Considering how popular the drink has grown recently, his warning has been met with concern by those who love the green tea elixir. But how much validity is there to his assertions and do they weigh up to the potential benefits of the drink? Let’s take a closer look and try and separate the fact from the fiction.
Do Matcha Side Effects Include Affecting Menstrual Cycles?
Syah Farmasi a pharmacist who goes by the handle @syahfarmasi on TikTok, has claimed that matcha has a high caffeine content that could potentially affect your hormonal balance. As per Tyla, Syah says every cup of the drink contains around 70 milligrams of caffeine. He stated that “Excessive caffeine intake can interfere with the body’s production of progesterone and estrogen. This hormonal disruption could lead to a number of menstrual complications, including irregular periods, increased menstrual pain, mood swings and general menstrual instability.” According to his recommendations, any person experiencing irregular menstrual cycles should refrain from drinking matcha for a couple of weeks to see if the situation improves.
However, there does not seem to be any solid scientific evidence to back up his assertions that matcha, or caffeine in general, disrupts hormonal balance in healthy adults. In fact, some studies have suggested that the consumption of green tea could be associated with a reduction of period pain. For instance, one study revealed that women who drank tea had a lower prevalence of menstrual pain than non-drinkers. Additionally, Matcha is rich in antioxidants and L-theanine, which can help with relaxation ane help reduce inflammation. The pharmacist’s assertion that 70 milligrams is high is also not really accurate. The average cup of matcha contains around 25 to 70 milligrams of caffeine, which is less than your typical cup of coffee. Furthermore, according to the FDA, healthy adults can drink up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day without risking their health.
Things that Affect Menstrual Cycle and Hormonal Balance
Hormonal balance and menstrual cycles can be affected by various lifestyle, biological, and environmental factors. Your menstrual cycle is basically controlled by a system called the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. This axis consists of a chain of signals between your brain and your ovaries that’s role is to make sure that hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, FSH, and LH stay in balance. If something affects that delicate system, your menstrual cycle can become heavier, lighter, or irregular. Sometimes, they can even completely stop. One of the biggest factors is actually stress. When you feel stressed out, your body produces more of the stress hormone cortisol, which can interfere with certain ovulation regulation signals. This is why high levels of stress are a common reason for delayed or missed periods.
An irregular sleeping schedule or poor sleep can also disrupt your hormonal balance. This is because certain hormones, such as cortisol and melatonin, rely on daily rhythms that affect reproductive health. Other important factors include your diet and weight. If you don’t eat enough or lose weight very quickly, your estrogen levels will be lower and can even stop your period. Additionally, if you are overweight, you run the risk of increased insulin resistance. This has been linked to conditions such as PCOS, which is one of the leading causes of irregular periods. While regular exercise can help keep your hormones balanced, too much can lower estrogen and progesterone. Certain health factors can also influence your hormones and cycles, such as diabetes and thyroid issues.
The Bottom Line
To sum it up, your menstrual cycles are sensitive to a lot of things, from diet to stress, and exercise levels. Thankfully, though, it doesn’t appear that the odd cup of matcha is going to do any harm to your hormonal balance. In fact, many studies have noted that drinking matcha may have several benefits for your health and cycles. These include helping to regulate mood, ease cramps and reduce inflammation. While matcha does contain caffeine, it is in moderate levels that typically result in sustained energy levels due to the L-theanine. At the moment, there are no sources that confirm that this low level of caffeine actually disrupts your menstrual cycles.
There is some evidence that caffeine influences estrogen metabolism, but the outcomes are not uniform and depend on factors such as ethnicity. However, if you notice any specific symptoms after consuming caffeine, it is always recommended to chat with your healthcare provider and monitor your daily intake. Caffeine in high amounts can potentially worsen cramps and lead to bloating. However, this applies to all products that contain caffeine and is not necessarily a reference to matcha consumption. In fact, matcha is known to contain ECGC, a powerful antioxidant that aids digestions and reduces inflammation.
Read More: Warning as Man Dies After Single Teaspoon of Caffeine Powder in Protein Shake