Green Tea and Nasal Congestion

by Bernie Morningstar
(Ljamsville Md USA)

I drink a couple of glasses of green tea every evening. By the time I go to bed my nose is stuffed tight. I began to wonder if the tea was causing it. I stopped the tea and now I don't get the nasal congestion.

Answer:

Bernie, I am not aware that drinking green tea may cause nasal congestion, perhaps it is for other people to commment on this.

On a related point, I don't generally recommend other people to drink green tea in the evening as it contains caffeine and may affect sleep quality.

If you experience similar things to Bernie, could you please add your comment below? Thank you.

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Green Tea and Nasal Congestion

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Sep 10, 2009

Green tea and nasal congestion
by: Anonymous

Yes, I've noticed experiencing this as well. And when I stop drinking green tea, my nose clears up in a few days. I've rechallenged and dechallenged several times and I am quite certain green tea caused the nasal congestion.

Jan 01, 2010

Association of Caffeine with Congestion
by: Anonymous

I have experienced similar nasal congestion but after consuming Darjeeling variety tea in the evenings. I have found a decaffeinated variety of Darjeeling which is my preferred type of tea and will report if my congestion improves.

I also have been diagnosed with a mildly deviated septum which aggravates the congestion problem. I will measure caffeine levels for comparison.

I have learned that to earn the designation "decaffeinated" for label copy, one merely has to demonstrate that one-half of the original caffeine that was present before the process has been removed.

I am an analytical chemist and have personally verified this to be in line with my testing results.

It is interesting that I found Crystal Light instant teas and flavored instant teas that I have tested contain no significant amount of caffeine.

Mar 07, 2010

Pre-existing condition
by: Anonymous

I have had chronic sinusitis for years and recently began drinking green tea regularly, and for a while it caused pre-existing congestion to drain down from the upper sinuses out through the nose, in the same way that taking vitamin C during a cold often causes the sinuses to drain down.

Agreed that green tea contains a caffeine-like substance that can keep you awake. I drink it only in the morning and early afternoon so it does not cause insomnia.

Apr 06, 2010

Green tea?
by: Tina

I just looked up to see if afternoon nasal congestion was common. Maybe some kind of allergy.

Interestingly enough I just started talking green tea pills for energy at work this week. By 2 in the afternoon for the past week I get completely stuffed up. Could it really be the green tea???

Jun 01, 2010

I'm allergic to green tea.
by: David

So far I've been taking Green Tea Extract for 2 weeks, I've noticed I don't feel bloated anymore but the bad news is I also feel drowsy very slow, but I been taking also vitamin C since a few months ago, I decided to also take multivitamin and vitamin B too, I noticed when I take vitamin B I feel a little better.

I will see how it goes taking Green Tea I will give it another week, but I will keep on taking vitamin B.

Jul 07, 2010

Green Tea and Nasal Congestion
by: Anonymous

I get congested from drinking green tea.

I drink it daily in the afternoon for the health benefits and every time, by the time I'm done my green tea, my nose is quite stuffed.

It clears after a few hours though. My wife thinks I'm nuts but it's a fact. This seems to happen with every green tea i've drank (loose leaf, processed bags, Jasmine, etc).

It doesn't seem to happen as badly with black tea though. I also get congested by beer and wine which leads me to believe it might be tannin related but I can't explain why green tea has more effect than black tea.

Other than that, I've got no known allergies other than I'm generally susceptible to sinus congestion (which may mean other allergies exist.)

Aug 05, 2010

Kidney stones
by: jerry

I have been drinking Lipton Green ice tea for a few months now. I love ice tea. My question is Will Ice tea cause kidney stones or ice tea may cause kidney stones. The thought of me getting kidney stones worries me so I have stopped drinking ice tea unfortunately. Should I stop drinking ice tea altogether or cut down on drinking ice tea.

Thank you
Jerry

Oct 02, 2010

Weird
by: Anonymous

I've had the opposite effect with green tea. When I'm congested, I drink green tea to *relieve* me of congestion. It instantly breaks it up and brings relief.

Green tea also gives me a nearly instant energy boost. I know I'm in the majority since a quick Internet search shows that most people experience the same great results as I have.

That's why this thread makes no sense to me. The only downside to the green tea for me is that it tastes horrible.

Dec 01, 2010

Allergy to any organic tea
by: Tony

I have a bad reaction to any organic tea with a constant drip down the back of the throat, incessant cough, and retching. Need prednisone to remove symptoms which can last up to a week.

Am ok with non organic teas except for reaction to caffeine. Can drink some herbal teas especially rooibos, and chamomile. Have been unable to drink coffee for last 20 years, same symptoms appear as they do decaff coffee.

I suspect some form of mold or fungus not removed by processing to ordinary tea. Anyone else have any ideas?

Dec 17, 2010

Sinus congestion
by: Anonymous

Yes, I have also experienced stuffed nose, mildly tight throat, and sinus pressure/shoulder aches from drinking only certain brands of green tea (nonorganic) and organic chai. The reactions arise in about 20mins but go away after a few hours. I suspect I might be sensitive to some of the chemicals in the tea from the processing.

Also, my father gets a skin rash if he drinks green tea. I have been tested for allergies and are allergic to only certain types of tree pollen.

Sep 08, 2011

Green tea allergy
by: Anonymous

I have had the same problem. I had a good friend bring me a lot of green tea straight from China. I started drinking it regularly and noticed my nose was stuffed and I was losing sleep due to not being able to breath. The reason I noticed it was the tea is because I drank it in the morning once and the rest of the day my nose was stuffed, whereas it was only happening in the evening in the past. I am glad I figured this out!

Dec 05, 2011

Green tea allergy
by: Paul

I love all the things they say about the good things in green tea, but I have had to stop because it makes me feel congested and very on edge. Coffee does not do this to me, so I know it's not the caffeine. Dark tea has a lesser effect on me than green tea.

Jan 03, 2012

Yes, green tea causes mucous response
by: snowheart

Yes, unfortunately green tea causes a mucous reaction in my upper respiratory track , almost immediately. The back of my throat and upper lungs will produce phlegm as a reaction to green tea. My ears even clog up. This can happen with red wine sometimes but since I don't drink a lot of red wine, I don't have much to report on there.

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