Can kombucha (fermented tea drink) help with inflammation?

Kombucha and Inflammation

Kombucha may have potential anti-inflammatory properties, but there is currently insufficient high-quality clinical evidence to recommend it specifically for treating inflammation in humans. 1

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage produced through the fermentation of tea (typically from Camellia sinensis) by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). During fermentation, this process creates:

• Organic acids
• Amino acids
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Bioactive compounds 2, 3

Scientific Evidence on Anti-inflammatory Effects

Preclinical Evidence

Recent animal studies show promising results:

• A 2024 Drosophila (fruit fly) model study demonstrated that kombucha tea consumption reduced inflammatory responses by:
  • Suppressing cytokine expression
  • Reducing reactive oxygen species production
  • Inhibiting the c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) pathway activation 4

Human Clinical Evidence

The clinical evidence in humans is much more limited:

• A 2024 controlled clinical study with 24 participants (16 in kombucha group, 8 in control) showed:
  • No significant changes in circulating inflammatory markers across the entire cohort
  • Some changes in gut microbiome composition, including increases in SCFA-producing bacteria
  • Modest impacts on biochemical parameters 5

Fermented Foods and Inflammation

The 2022 guidelines on rethinking healthy eating in light of the gut microbiome note:

• Fermented foods (including kombucha) are ranked highest among current diet trends
• A large randomized controlled trial found that consuming 6 servings of fermented foods daily increased microbiome diversity and reduced several proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines 1
• However, evidence from RCTs specifically for kombucha is extremely sparse

Safety Considerations

Important safety concerns to be aware of:

• Case reports exist of serious adverse effects from kombucha consumption, including:
  • Hepatic dysfunction
  • Lactic acidosis (potentially life-threatening) 6
• Kombucha consumption is contraindicated in:
  • Infants and pregnant women
  • Children under 4 years
  • Patients with kidney failure
  • Patients with HIV 3

Recommendations for Practice

For patients interested in kombucha for inflammation:

1. Prioritize established anti-inflammatory approaches first:

   • Mediterranean diet patterns which have stronger evidence for anti-inflammatory effects
   • Regular physical activity
   • Adequate sleep

2. If considering kombucha:

   • Start with small amounts to assess tolerance
   • Purchase commercially prepared products that follow safety standards
   • Be aware that homemade kombucha carries higher risk of contamination
   • Monitor for any adverse effects

3. For patients with inflammatory bowel disease:

   • Current gastroenterology guidelines do not specifically recommend kombucha for IBD management 1
   • Some probiotics have shown benefits in specific IBD scenarios, but kombucha is not mentioned in these guidelines

Conclusion

While kombucha shows some promising anti-inflammatory properties in preclinical studies, the current clinical evidence is insufficient to recommend it specifically as an anti-inflammatory intervention. Patients should be informed about the limited evidence and potential safety concerns while we await more robust clinical trials.