Matcha Tea and Caffeine - A Horror Story

by Gary
(Halifax)

I tried drinking Matcha tea for the first time last night. Put a heaping teaspoon in a cup and half of boiling water, stirred and began sipping it out of my coffee thermos.

The symptoms that onset were really uncomfortable. General scary neurological sensations but then it mostly manifested into waves of anxiety down through my body.

I relieved it some by pumping 10 pound dumb bells to burn off the energy, but the discomfort and anxiety kept comming.

It was definitly the Matcha tea, 1300 times stronger than I read in certain ingredient.

Think I'll stick to the grocery store brands.

Herbs are unregulated, so be careful people. Just a side note, the drug companies get a lot of their ingredients from herbal plants, so you are dealing with an open raw source of material and there is no way to tell the strength.

Comments for Matcha Tea and Caffeine - A Horror Story

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Jan 08, 2011

Know how you feel - very frightening
by: Anonymous

I have a mild form of epilepsy, which has been successfully controlled now for 20 yrs by medication. But lately I have been having what I call night episodes, my limbs will jerk when I am trying to drop off to sleep.( I havent slept in 5 nights).

Thinking it was my epilepsy I could only put this down to stress, over christmas etc. But have noticed these symptoms since I have changed my green tea brand. From Asda extra special to Clipper with ginseng!! I wonder could this be the cause?

I only have approximately 2 to 3 mugs a day, and never at night, but possibly I am more subseptible to the effects due to the epilepsy.

How frightening every night time is. I have now had my last cup of green tea!

Jan 24, 2011

Matcha overload
by: Anonymous

You're only supposed to have 1/4 teaspoon.

Jun 22, 2011

Read up on it first!
by: Anonymous

You need to prepare matcha properly. Only a small amount is required. No wonder you felt like that! Would you take medication without reading the instructions?!

Nov 13, 2011

Heaped teaspoon!?
by: Anonymous

You probably had 6-8 times the "dose". Japanese people use a small bamboo spoon per cup which probably works out 1/4 or less of a tsp.

I practically overdosed on coffee once and thought I was losing my mind, it was scary, I was actually paranoid. Caffeine can be a hard drug when abused.

Feb 14, 2013

Amount taken
by: Alex

I have just come across Matcha. But each person who has advised levels has said ONLY a 1/4 teaspoon after a month. Prior to that less than a 1/4 in Juice or milk so the body gets used to the tea.NEVER NEVER NEVER a heaped teaspoon. Just because it is a herb does not mean it is dangerous. All medicine started out as herbs !!!!!!!

Apr 30, 2014

Not that bad
by: Christian

I don't know what brand you guys are drinking or the quality but I've always gotten my tea from either doMatcha or o-cha.com. With that said I'm addicted to Matcha and I use it in all kinds of ways from flavouring my protein powder, matcha lattes, or straight up take a big heaping teaspoon and pour hot water and whisk it with my bamboo whisk (that's the traditional way). I'm very sensitive to caffeine so that's why I choose to drink tea instead of coffee but like I said I use heaping teaspoons but I've never had jitters or the sensation the author described. There is an amino acid in tea called theanine to balance the effects of the caffeine, so to speak. Give matcha a second chance and get it from a reputable source like the ones I mentioned. It's not a drug it's valuable powdered leaves that when you acquire a taste for it is absolutely addicting. It also has all the other good stuff that any Google search will tell you about. If you do decide to try it make sure you find out the source because of the whole Fukushima thing. My sleuthing has lead me to the conclusion that tea from the Uji and Nishio regions are the safest and least likely to contain radiation above natural levels.

Jul 25, 2016

Choose carefully
by: Anonymous

You must buy Japanese matcha. Some Chinese matcha is known to have lead in it and other pollutants. Do not drink too much of anything.

Sep 20, 2016

How much matcha in a serving
by: Anonymous

You overloaded your matcha!

An actual serving is only 1/2 Level teaspoon per cup. A heaping teaspoon is like 4 servings. So of course you upped what should have been only 20gm of caffeine to about 100, same as a cup of coffee.

Also because Matcha has low level caffeine, you should cut it off by 4-5pm, unless you are going out late. Drinking any tea, unless its herbal or decaf at 8:30pm will certainly keep you awake.

Apr 13, 2018

Seizure with Matcha
by: Anonymous

In support of my healthy lifestyle, a couple of years ago I started drinking Teavana’s Matcha. It was such a nice calming warm drink, so pretty soon 1 cup a day became at least three cups a day. Too me Matcha was a little bit like liquid gold, so I was also certain to consume the powder residue at the bottom of each cup. Around this time, I started having short overpowering moments of nausea; which I now know were focal point seizures. About two months ago I had a full blown seizure that started in my sleep ( I am in my mid forties and this was my first). Long story shorter, I eliminated the Matcha and started drinking more water, time will tell, but the focal point seizure are gone. I realize that I completely overdosed on Matcha, but hope this info is helpful to anyone Googling possible seizure triggers. Good luck!

Jun 07, 2018

You Used a Huge Dose
by: Nurse Practitioner

The proper amount of matcha powder for 8oz of water is ONE HALF TEASPOON. You massively overdosed yourself for a single cup, especially for a first time user. It is no wonder at all that you experienced side effects.

While the actual danger zone for this drink is set at 3 LEVEL tablespoons in a TWENTY FOUR HOUR period, your single serving of a heaping teaspoon was inappropriate and your own mistake, not a fault with this product.

Of course as with all caffeinated products, even matcha, in which the caffeine "hit" is slower and more even over hours rather than immediate when used properly, people with pre-existing anxiety or other mental health or health issues should consult with their health care provider before use.

I am a health care provider not affiliated with any matcha tea manufacturer or distributor.

Oct 12, 2021

Overdosed on Matcha NEW
by: Anonymous

Absolutely this tea is potent! I started out with a powdered brand. Thinking it wasn’t as strong as coffee and downed two cups . (Don’t remember how much powder tea I added) I already have anxiety issues plus take a medication that affects my serotonin......well u can guess way past anxiety attack into panic! It was horrible! Reading these comments make me realize more that when that happened I should have googled it first lol

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