Kombucha - potential blood thinner

I would just like to warn people that the health drink Kombucha may not be appropriate for people with ITP. I used to drink it without a problem, but I guess that was before I had ITP... It is a type of tea you can buy bottled at the store or make it yourself. It's supposed to be very healthy/good for you. I should have known better than to drink it without doing a little more research first. The info from the happy herbalist website below seems to confirm my suspicion that the "health benefit" quality of Kombucha is that it is a blood thinner.


"Kombucha "invigorates the blood" a TCM term and in my experience has had some adverse reactions with blood thinning drugs like coumdin. Kombucha has been reported to lower blood pressure as well and several people have told me that they experience a light-headed or slight "buzz" as if drinking a glass of beer or wine and question the alcohol content. (all test indicate a low value of 1/2 of 1%) Some people have reported feeling dizzy to the extent that they had to sit down and rest. This should not be confused with a nice relaxing experience. Kombucha does seem to help people with HYPER-tension. Though now I suspect it may not be well suited for those with HYPO -tension or those with Hypo-thyroid related disorders."

www.happyherbalist.com/cautions.htm

Just as a side note. Most people don't drink kombucha for it's blood purifying benefits. They drink it because it has great probiotic properties and is very healing to the gut. That said, I can't stand the stuff! :laugh:

correct, it seems like so many things that are marketed as healthy turn out to have blood thinning properties. Blood thinning doesn't ever seem to be the advertised benefit either. I'm still learning to be cautious of things touted as healthy and good for you. This was just another lesson.