Green Tea: Howdy folks. Does anyone... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Green Tea

Ducky2003 profile image
20 Replies

Howdy folks. Does anyone drink green tea (decaf) or know of any issues ref AF/meds?I've looked on Dr Google and it mentions Warfarin being an issue, as it contains vit K, but I'm on Apixaban.

Mentions Propanolol and similar meds but I'm on Diltiazem and Amiodarone.

Issues in general seem to relate to the caffeine but I have decaf.

I have used the search facility to no avail.

Any thoughts?

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Ducky2003
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20 Replies
Cavalierrubie profile image
Cavalierrubie

l understand that green tea is beneficial to health, but unfortunately it interacts with Warfarin, which l take. It will probably be ok for you on Apixaban as there are not so many restrictions. I always ask my Pharmacist, but it’s usually a big “No” for most things. Perhaps someone here will come along and reassure you, or you can ask the Pharmacist.

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003 in reply toCavalierrubie

Thank you. 😊

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

I drink Green Tea and Lemon - just one cup a day. Take warfarin but have my own INR machine to measure my blood level. I drink it because basophils in my blood test were 0 and green tea is meant to help bring them up.

Jean.

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003 in reply tojeanjeannie50

Thanks Jean. I was just planning on one cup of decaf version to help with cholesterol.😊Are the basophils white blood cells or am I cooking my leg up the wrong tree? 😊

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

Yes, I think so. I didn't know green tea contained caffeine. I bought leaves from a local health shop. You need to use water just off the boil and leave for just a few minutes or it can taste bitter.

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003 in reply tojeanjeannie50

Yes, its got caffeine in normal green tea.

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50 in reply toDucky2003

I guess mine being green tea and lemon means the caffeine is not so strong and I make it weak, doesn't appear to have bothered my heart at all.

Vonnegut profile image
Vonnegut

We have several cups of green tea a day since Dr Michael Mosely recommended it as one of his things for good health, along with other herbal teas. Haven’t had coffee or ordinary tea for many years, either.

maurice2 profile image
maurice2

I drink green tea (with biso and apixaban) and have not had any probs, and it's not the decaf version. And drink ground coffee at least once a day. But I wouldn't have more than about two cups of the green. I've got an arrythmia but it doesn't seem to respond at all to caffeine. I've been advised not to drink alcohol, so that's what I do.

Dudtbin profile image
Dudtbin

i drink green tea no problems, have drunk it for years.

pip_pip profile image
pip_pip

I drink green tea all the time. No problems. I've never been told otherwise 25 years on warfarin. I've had warnings about other things but never green tea. I think this issue is a red herring. But don't take what I say as gospel.

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003 in reply topip_pip

So you're saying there's something fishy about it? 🤣

Polski profile image
Polski

There may be some confusion here. My understanding is that 'green tea' can mean two different things. Usually today it simply means that the leaves from the usual 'tea plant' have been prepared differently (but still contain caffeine, unless it is removed), but sometimes it refers to a completely differrent plant altogether, which I believe is caffeine free.

iris1205 profile image
iris1205

I’ve been drinking green jasmine tea for years with no consequences-! I did stop years ago for six months when I was trying to find my triggers. No improvement gained by stopping- all that said it is personal. If you discover it is a trigger then you have your decision! Best wishes for a good cuppa!

Blearyeyed profile image
Blearyeyed

You should be fine with 2-3 cups of green tea a day , especially if you choose a decaffeinated variety.The greater risk is usually for people on things like warfarin and antiplatelet therapy and even in those cases the occasional cup of green tea drank a number of hours after the dose is still a safe option.

Like with many nutrients and foods it's usually only the higher dose supplements that you need to avoid rather than moderate healthy consumption of food or drink containing the active ingredients.

The only other exception, and again this is usually in relation to green tea supplements, or over consumption of green tea with caffeine rather than the occasional cuppa, is for these in two groups.

People on blood pressure or beta blocker medications whom also suffer from rapid drops in blood pressure daily (hypotension) or have intermittent bradycardia ( very low heart rate). In those cases , because both green teas , either caffeinated or decaffeinated, can have a mild heart rate and blood pressure lowering effect even in general consumption when taking medication it may be better to avoid green tea altogether. Just as you would take care in using other foods or supplements that have a heart rate reducing effect like garlic, magnesium or supplement based CoQ10.

People with hypertension or Tachycardia which requires betablockers or blood pressure medication whose heart rate or blood pressure still remains in high normal range , and know that caffeine is a personal trigger are better to avoid caffeinated green tea.

Some of these people on medications may also find their required medication makes their blood pressure quite low so may also need to follow the same guidelines as the people whom have hypotension or bradycardia in relation to certain foods or supplements.

Green tea or any heart healthy tea options consumed moderately, however, is unlikely to make a great difference to cholesterol levels on its own, especially if you need to limit yourself to one or two cups.

Although, if you include it in a healthy nutritious diet that includes a variety of cholesterol reducing foods , avoid bad cholesterol foods, and you actually enjoy drinking green tea, it can add to how healthy you may feel , and it can reduce feelings of bloating or indigestion after a meal.

Plant stanols or sterols usually have a better outcome if you are choosing to try something for cholesterol management alone to potentially avoid future use of a statin and they generally have no interaction with the majority of drugs or a significant, rapid. or severe lowering effect on heart rate or blood pressure.

Green tea has only ever shown any effectiveness or data significant results in research when it was taken as a high dose supplement , and even then it didn't work for everyone, but these aren't suitable for people with cardiac conditions that require antiplatelet/ anticoagulant/ or betablocker therapies because of the risk of increased bleeding times or potential of low blood pressure or heart rate.

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003

Thanks for all the info. I am eating plant sterol yogurts as well. I didn't realise garlic lowered your heart rate. The amount of garlic I eat, you'd think I wouldn't need Diltiazem 🤣.

2learn profile image
2learn

Hi, Green tea used to drink it and like it, but GP didn't recommend as high in caffeine and bad for enlarged prostate which I have and as many men over 60 also.

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003 in reply to2learn

Thankfully, I'm girlie and have bought the decaf version 😁.

SuziElley profile image
SuziElley

Hi Ducky!

I don’t drink green tea per se but do drink a Twinings blend called Metabolism. It’s a mixture containing green tea and peppermint among other herbs. No issues with it at all. It’s decaf, very pleasant taste. I’m on Apixaban and Diltiazem

Ducky2003 profile image
Ducky2003 in reply toSuziElley

Thank you. 😊

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