Kombucha
Kombucha (also tea mushroom, tea fungus, or Manchurian mushroom when referring to the culture; botanical name Medusomyces gisevii[1]) is a fermented, slightly alcoholic, lightly effervescent, sweetened black or green tea drink commonly intended as a functional beverage for its supposed health benefits. Sometimes the beverage is called kombucha tea to distinguish it from the culture of bacteria and yeast.[2] Juice, spices, or other flavorings are often added to enhance the taste of the beverage. The exact origins of kombucha are not known.[3] It is thought to have originated in Manchuria where the drink is traditionally consumed, or in Russia and Eastern Europe.[4] Kombucha is now homebrewed globally, and also bottled and sold commercially by various companies.
Many people drink kombucha for its purported health benefits. Research has been conducted using biological assays in vitro.[40] Other studies have been in vivo using rats. There have not been any human trials conducted to assess its possible biological effects, and the purported health benefits resulting from its biological activities have not been demonstrated in humans.
In 2000, a scientific review was done, which summarized the range of claimed health benefits: "It has been claimed that Kombucha teas cure asthma, cataracts, diabetes, diarrhea, gout, herpes, insomnia and rheumatism. They are purported to shrink the prostate and expand the libido, reverse grey hair, remove wrinkles, relieve haemorrhoids, lower hypertension, prevent cancer, and promote general well-being. They are believed to stimulate the immune system, and have become popular among people who are HIV positive or have AIDS".
A 2003 systematic review characterized kombucha as an "extreme example" of an unconventional remedy because of the disparity between implausible, wide-ranging health claims and the potential risks of the product. It concluded that the proposed, unsubstantiated therapeutic claims did not outweigh known risks, and that kombucha should not be recommended for therapeutic use, being in a class of "remedies that only seem to benefit those who sell them."
The claimed health benefits of kombucha are based only on animal studies and any potential benefits would need to be investigated via clinical trials.
Kombucha
Kombucha (also tea mushroom, tea fungus, or Manchurian mushroom when referring to the culture; botanical name Medusomyces gisevii[1]) is a fermented, slightly alcoholic, lightly effervescent, sweetened black or green tea drink commonly intended as a functional beverage for its supposed health benefits. Sometimes the beverage is called kombucha tea to distinguish it from the culture of bacteria and yeast.[2] Juice, spices, or other flavorings are often added to enhance the taste of the beverage. The exact origins of kombucha are not known.[3] It is thought to have originated in Manchuria where the drink is traditionally consumed, or in Russia and Eastern Europe.[4] Kombucha is now homebrewed globally, and also bottled and sold commercially by various companies.
Many people drink kombucha for its purported health benefits. Research has been conducted using biological assays in vitro.[40] Other studies have been in vivo using rats. There have not been any human trials conducted to assess its possible biological effects, and the purported health benefits resulting from its biological activities have not been demonstrated in humans.
In 2000, a scientific review was done, which summarized the range of claimed health benefits: "It has been claimed that Kombucha teas cure asthma, cataracts, diabetes, diarrhea, gout, herpes, insomnia and rheumatism. They are purported to shrink the prostate and expand the libido, reverse grey hair, remove wrinkles, relieve haemorrhoids, lower hypertension, prevent cancer, and promote general well-being. They are believed to stimulate the immune system, and have become popular among people who are HIV positive or have AIDS".
A 2003 systematic review characterized kombucha as an "extreme example" of an unconventional remedy because of the disparity between implausible, wide-ranging health claims and the potential risks of the product. It concluded that the proposed, unsubstantiated therapeutic claims did not outweigh known risks, and that kombucha should not be recommended for therapeutic use, being in a class of "remedies that only seem to benefit those who sell them."
The claimed health benefits of kombucha are based only on animal studies and any potential benefits would need to be investigated via clinical trials.