I don’t usually write about the health benefits of tea, but there has been a lot of buzz in the news lately about matcha making people’s hair fall out. In this post, I’ll discuss the science behind this phenomenon and best practices for preventing the negative side effects of drinking matcha. I have a feeling that overconsumption is at the root of this issue. Here’s everything you need to know about whether drinking matcha will really make your hair fall out.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Please consult your doctor regarding any health concerns.
Too much of anything, even something ostensibly good for us like matcha, is not a good thing. Our bodies need water, yet drinking too much of it can be fatal. An example from childhood comes to mind. I really liked carrot baby food. My mom gave it to me so often that my skin turned a little…orange. While carotenemia is medically harmless, it was an unintended side effect.
Caffeine Overdose
One of the most important things to be aware of when drinking matcha is that it contains more caffeine than most other teas. This is because the leaves are shaded before harvesting and also because you are consuming the entire tea leaf (minus the stems and veins). One gram of matcha contains anywhere from 25 to 50mg. A serving size is typically 2g, but I’ve noticed trends online and in cafes to use as much as 6 or 8g. That’s a lot of caffeine!
While it is lower than coffee, the L-theanine in tea can also reduce the negative side effects associated with caffeine. The danger there is that you may not feel the jitters and other signs that you’ve had too much right away. The FDA recommends no more than 400mg of caffeine per day for healthy adults.
While there isn’t a direct link between caffeine and hair loss, consuming too much of it for long periods of time can cause increased anxiety, disrupt sleep patterns, and trigger a stress response in the body. That can cause several health problems, including hair loss.
Tea Can Interfere with Iron Absorption
All tea naturally contains catechins and polyphenols, which are bitter compounds that contribute to its color and flavor. The primary tannins include epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, theaflavins, and thearubigins. These tannins can interfere with the absorption of non-heme iron, a type of iron found in plant-based foods.
Consuming tea with meals or in excessive amounts can lead to anemia and subsequent hair loss. Matcha contains a larger amount of catechins and polyphenols than brewed tea for the same reasons that it contains more caffeine. The good news is that these compounds have proven health benefits when consumed in moderation.
Best Practices
A little common sense and moderation can go a long way. Here are some best practices to follow to help avoid negative side effects from drinking matcha.
- Be conscious of how much caffeine you are consuming throughout the day
- Make smaller cups to reduce the amount of matcha needed to get a full flavor
- Avoid drinking matcha with meals
- Wait at least one hour after eating before having matcha
- Add other types of tea to your rotation. Hojicha and Kukicha are great choices because they have low caffeine levels.
Have you ever experienced negative effects from drinking matcha? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
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Thank you for the Very informative and thorough article
I’m so glad that it was helpful!
Thank you for this balanced take. You’ve correctly identified caffeine stress and iron inhibition as the key mechanisms. However, the spotlight on Matcha often misses a crucial point: this is not a Matcha-specific issue, but a characteristic of all Camellia sinensis tea and coffee, due to their tannin and polyphenol content.
The reason we don’t see widespread hair loss in tea-centric cultures is that their traditional diets are a built-in mitigation system, which includes the strategic timing you advised, as well as dietary synergy (meals rich in vitamin C/iron) and culinary tools (like iron cookware).
The modern problem arises when Matcha (or other real tea or coffee) is overconsumed and inserted into a diet that may already be marginal in iron, especially for at-risk groups like pre-menopausal women (though not exclusively).
Your “Best Practices”, moderation and mindful timing, are therefore the essential solution, echoing the habits of cultures that have healthfully consumed these beverages for centuries.