Kombucha: is a cup of tea good for you?

Authors:
Ailsa Holbourn, Judith Hurdman

Abstract:
A 54-year-old asthmatic woman presented to the hospital with a 10-day history of breathlessness. On examination, she was tachypnoeic with mild wheeze. She had preserved peak flows and was saturating at 100% on room air. Investigations revealed severe metabolic lactic acidosis. On further questioning, it transpired that she drank kombucha tea, which has been linked to lactic acidosis. She made a full recovery with supportive management and cessation of the tea.

Keywords: complementary medicine, metabolic disorders, poisoning, toxicology, vitamins and supplements



Country: UK

Citation: BMJ Case Rep. 2017 Dec 2;2017. pii: bcr-2017-221702. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2017-221702

Study Mailing Address:
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.

Date Updated: March 25, 2020