I was asked my thoughts about this beverage, popular in some circles. I knew nothing about it, except that my taste buds don't embrace the flavor. Even though I didn't think it had much to do with PCOS, it turned out it actually does.
Kombucha is simply tea that has been brewed, had sugar and probiotics added to it, and then allowed to ferment for several days, allowing a"mushroom" to grow on top of the brew (see photo).
(I think I've inadvertently made kombucha in my sun tea jar when I let it sit too long…but that belongs in another post detailing my long list of bad kitchen incidents…)
The kombucha mushroom is actually quite similar to the"mother" that grows on top of some vinegars. And it turns out, kombucha has a pH similar to vinegar. Its similar potential benefits arise from the similar pH. As you recall, I've written a little bit recently about the usefulness of vinegars taken just before mealtime to help mediate post-meal blood glucose spikes. I am assuming you could use a few swigs of Kombucha just before a meal in a similar fashion. That could be a great research study, come to think of it.
But beware, as too much vinegar can cause detrimental shifts in overall body pH, so can kombucha. Interestingly, a kombucha brewer I found online recommended that adults should not consume more than 4 to 8 fluid ounces daily. Most commercial kombucha is sold in 14 to 20 ounce bottles, which is up to 5 times that amount. It's important to keep in mind that it's not something to swig all day long as your source of hydration, it's something to consume in metered amounts for a specific health purpose. And if you're doing the vinegar thing, best not to do the kombucha thing. And vice versa.
I was most concerned about whether or not kombucha was safe for women who are pregnant, either knowingly or unknowingly, or are trying to conceive. It's been around for thousands of years, which indicates that it's relatively safe. However…the Happy Herbalist I linked to above had an interesting list of other things that can grow in homemade kombucha with funky names like vinegar eels and vinegar worms that really didn't sound like anything I should be messing with…if I was spending thousands of dollars on an IVF procedure…that without interference from eels and worms, only has a 40% chance of succeeding. Not my most evidence-based observation ever posted on this blog, but sometimes the"Eeeeuuuuwww factor" and common sense preclude the need for peer-reviewed citations.
Drink kombucha if you must, but if you're trying to conceive, I strongly recommend you stick with commercially prepared options to reduce your chance of exposing your baby to things it's probably not going to enjoy. Do not try this at home!
In the research files, Indian scientists have reported improved antioxidant activity in animals given kombucha. In rats, particularly male rats, kombucha appeared to prolong life.
However, a German complementary medicine journal made the following conclusion: No clinical studies were found relating to the efficacy of this remedy. Several case reports and case series raise doubts about the safety of kombucha. They include suspected liver damage, metabolic acidosis and cutaneous anthrax infections. One fatality is on record. Germans in general are more open to complementary medicine modalities; taken in that context this is a strong conclusion.
I know that vinegar researchers had a very hard time being taken seriously when they first started submitting studies to the journals, and they were eventually accepted. So there exists the strong possibility that with the right kind of studies kombucha could eventually earn respect.
That being said, be advised that it may be beneficial, but it does not deserve the health halo it often gets, and there have been problems associated with its use, most likely its overconsumption. Use with respect, and use with caution.
Sai Ram M, Anju B, Pauline T, Dipti P, Kain AK, Mongia SS, Sharma SK, Singh B, Singh R, Ilavazhagan G, Kumar D, Selvamurthy W. Effect of Kombucha tea on chromate(VI)-induced oxidative stress in albino rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Jul;71(1-2):235-40.
Hartmann AM, Burleson LE, Holmes AK, Geist CR. Effects of chronic kombucha ingestion on open-field behaviors, longevity, appetitive behaviors, and organs in c57-bl/6 mice: a pilot study. Nutrition. 2000 Sep;16(9):755-61.
Ernst E. Kombucha: a systematic review of the clinical evidence. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd. 2003 Apr;10(2):85-7.
