weight loss

pain

headaches

fatigue

bad breath

Benefits of Yerba Mate

To date, research on yerba mate’s health effects is very limited. Existing studies suggest that the tea and/or yerba mate extract may be useful for the following:

1) Weight Loss

In a 2001 study of 47 healthy overweight adults, researchers found that taking a mixed herbal preparation (containing yerba mate, guarana, and damiana) three times daily for 45 days induced significant weight loss. The herbal blend also helped participants feel full more quickly while eating.

A more recent study on mice (published in 2009) found that yerba mate may modulate the expression of several obesity-related genes and, in turn, produce a potent anti-obesity effect.

2) Cardiovascular Problems

Yerba mate extract may help attenuate heart-muscle dysfunction resulting from ischemia (a condition that occurs when blockage in a coronary artery reduces blood flow to the heart), according to a 2005 study on rats.

3) DNA Repair

A study published in 2008 found that yerba mate helped neutralize free radicals and protect mice from DNA damage, a hallmark of cancer and other diseases.

Yerba Mate and Cancer

A number of studies have linked chronic consumption of yerba mate with increased risk of bladder, esophageal, lung, and head and neck cancers. Although researchers have yet to determine how or why yerba mate might raise cancer risk, there’s evidence that steeping the tea at high temperatures may promote the absorption of certain carcinogenic compounds found in the plant.

Safety Concerns for Yerba Mate

In some cases, consumption of yerba mate may trigger adverse effects such as anxiety, insomnia, nausea, and headache.

Due to yerba mate’s caffeine content, people with high blood pressure, heart disease, and anxiety should avoid the tea or extract. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also avoid yerba mate.

By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

_Sources:

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_{Pintos J, Franco EL, Oliveira BV, Kowalski LP, Curado MP, Dewar R. “Maté, coffee, and tea consumption and risk of cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract in southern Brazil.” Epidemiology. 1994 5(6):583-90.}

_{Schinella G, Fantinelli JC, Mosca SM. “Cardioprotective effects of Ilex paraguariensis extract: evidence for a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism.” Clin Nutr. 2005 24(3):360-6.}