Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.) Tea May Have Cardiometabolic Beneficial Effects in Healthy and At-Risk Subjects: A Randomized, Controlled, Blind, Crossover Trial in Nonhabitual Consumers.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Randomized, blinded, crossover controlled trial in humans
PubMed 40263915 · doi:10.1002/mnfr.70065
What was done
A randomized, blinded, crossover controlled trial evaluated the effects of moderate yerba mate intake in nonhabitual consumers, including both healthy and hypercholesterolemic subjects. Participants consumed three servings daily of yerba mate tea or a decaffeinated isotonic control drink for 8 weeks each. Investigators measured blood pressure, anthropometrics, blood lipids, glucose metabolism, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, endothelial function markers, incretins, adipocytokines, and hormones at baseline and after 8 weeks.
What was found
The abstract reports directional findings without providing exact numerical values, effect sizes, or confidence intervals: - Blood pressure, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and colony-stimulating factors decreased across all participants after yerba mate consumption. - LDL cholesterol decreased in normocholesterolemic individuals, whereas yerba mate and the control drink showed similar hypolipidemic actions in hypercholesterolemic participants. - Ghrelin and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) significantly decreased after yerba mate intake, while GLP-1 and adipocytokines remained unchanged. - Body fat percentage and triceps skinfold decreased only in healthy participants, with no changes in total body weight in either group.
Why it matters
This trial suggests that moderate yerba mate consumption may offer modest blood pressure, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic benefits in nonhabitual consumers, expanding evidence beyond heavy habitual intake.
Limits
The abstract does not state the sample size, exact participant characteristics, or duration of the crossover washout period. No point estimates, standard deviations, or p-values are reported in the abstract. The trial was retrospectively registered (NCT06729905), and the control beverage was a decaffeinated isotonic drink rather than an identical placebo.
Cited by
- supports Yerba mate provides health benefits including regulating blood sugar, improving digestion, and causing mild appetite suppression.