Teas: The Right Blend May Help

Studies suggest that tea — whether green, black, or oolong — can prevent some allergic reactions. To find out if tea could benefit patients with atopic dermatitis, researchers in Japan recruited patients with atopic dermatitis who had not respond to other treatment. The patients were instructed to continue following their treatment plan and to drink one liter of oolong tea every day. The liter was to be divided into thirds so that one-third of it was drunk after each of three meals. Of the 118 patients who completed the study, 63% showed marked to moderate improvement after one month. This effect was first noticed after one or two weeks. It should be noted that green, black, and oolong teas contain caffeine, which can increase restlessness, anxiety, and sleeplessness. Having atopic dermatitis produces these feelings in many patients, and caffeine may intensify these feelings.

Some people swear by a tea that does not contain caffeine. While chamomile is used worldwide to treat many conditions including atopic dermatitis, there is not enough reliable research in humans to support its use as a tea, essential oil, or in any other form.

One reason may be that too many cases of people developing an allergic reaction after eating or coming into contact with the chamomile plant have been reported. A few cases of anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, have occurred. Anaphylaxis makes blood pressure drop suddenly. Breathing becomes difficult. Some people loss consciousness and some die.

Bottom line

Limited research suggests that drinking oolong tea may help patients with atopic dermatitis when used along with treatment prescribed by a dermatologist. Chamomile has been shown to cause an allergic reaction, which in a few cases has been life threatening.

Article courtesy of American Academy of Dermatology