Woman's matcha obsession lands her in hospital as experts share warning on how much you should drink

Matcha has been having a serious moment. In recent months, it's become a social media staple, with influencers, wellness gurus, and TikTokers alike swearing by its benefits.

From pastel-hued lattes to antioxidant-packed smoothies, the green tea powder has become more than just a drink – it's a lifestyle flex.

But now, one woman claims her matcha habit went too far, landing her in the hospital.

"RIP to my matcha obsession era," Lynn Shazeen (@lynnshazeen) wrote on her TikTok video – filmed from a hospital bed, while hooked up to a drip.

The clip itself racked up a staggering 5.5 million views, with many curious viewers desperate to know more.

So, what exactly happened – and are there real side effects to watch out for?

Lynn, a science and nursing graduate, later posted a storytime follow-up, claiming that her iron levels had dropped due to her matcha intake.

"Because of that, I had to get iron transfusions done to get my iron levels up," she added, while explaining that she wasn't even consuming the drink on a daily basis, only every other week.

Lynn showed viewers her iron levels, which demonstrated she was "super anaemic".

So, could matcha really be the culprit behind Lynn's hospital stint?

According to Dr Libby Artingstall, medical director and founder of Projuvenate, it's not impossible – although it's certainly rare.

Matcha, like all green tea, contains polyphenols – antioxidant compounds often praised for their health benefits. But these same compounds can also interfere with how the body absorbs non-haem iron, the type found in plant-based and iron-fortified foods.

"The polyphenols in the popular green tea can inhibit the absorption of non-haem iron (from plant-based and iron-fortified foods), particularly when tea is taken with or soon after meals," Dr Artingstall explains to Indy100.

While the average matcha lover probably doesn't need to panic, it's not entirely without risk.

"There are rare case reports of tea contributing to severe iron-deficiency anaemia requiring hospital treatment," she says. "For most people, the practical concern is reduced iron absorption and, over time, iron-deficiency anaemia in susceptible individuals (e.g., heavy menstrual bleeding, pregnancy, vegetarian or vegan diets, gastrointestinal disease)."

When it comes to potential side effects, caffeine is usually the main culprit.

Matcha may cause jitteriness, anxiety, palpitations, increased blood pressure, or disrupted sleep – particularly when consumed in larger amounts or later in the day. Because you're consuming the whole powdered leaf, matcha typically contains more caffeine than regular green tea, though still generally less than brewed coffee.

It's also packed with catechins, notably EGCG, a plant compound with powerful antioxidant properties. But again, more isn't always better.

"High-dose green-tea extract supplements (≥800 mg/day EGCG) have been linked to raised liver enzymes and rare liver injury, while catechins from green tea infusions are generally safe for most people in moderation," Dr Artingstall notes.

As for how much matcha is too much, it depends on your overall caffeine and catechin intake.

For most healthy adults, Dr Artingstall recommends staying under 400 mg of caffeine per day – or 200 mg during pregnancy.

"For most adults, that usually means about 1–3 standard servings of matcha a day, depending on how strong you make it and what other caffeine you have," she explains.

If you're concerned about iron levels, timing is key: "Keep matcha at least an hour away from iron-rich meals or iron tablets," she advises, while urging people to avoid high-dose green-tea extract pills.

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