Feeling dizzy and nauseous after drinking tea? If you experience dizziness, headaches, or nausea shortly after drinking tea, it is likely caused by the theophylline and caffeine in the tea leaves. Common symptoms besides dizziness and nausea include fatigue, heart palpitations, and stomachaches.
Why Does Drinking Tea Cause Dizziness and Nausea?
This is because tea leaves contain caffeine and theophylline. Excessive theophylline can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms (such as nausea and vomiting), central nervous system reactions like agitation, insomnia, and headaches, as well as heart palpitations and a rapid heartbeat. For most people, experiencing dizziness and nausea from tea is commonly caused by drinking it on an empty stomach, which stimulates gastric acid secretion and easily triggers nausea. Another scenario is drinking a large amount of strong tea, causing the body to ingest too much theophylline all at once. These conditions are commonly known as “tea drunkenness.”
What to Do When You Feel Dizzy and Nauseous from Tea: Relief Methods
First, stop drinking tea immediately, and then eat some sugar to help soothe your system. If you don’t have sugar on hand, you can consume sugary foods such as fruit, fruit juice, or milk. Tea drunkenness usually subsides within 6 hours. However, please note that if your symptoms are severe or you are unsure whether the dizziness and nausea are caused by tea, you should seek medical attention promptly.
How to Prevent Dizziness and Nausea from Drinking Tea
Feeling dizzy and nauseous from tea is commonly known as “tea drunkenness” and frequently happens to: 1. People who rarely drink tea 2. People who drink tea on an empty stomach 3. People who consume a large amount of strong tea. To avoid this, remember not to drink tea on an empty stomach, and avoid consuming a large amount of tea all at once. Additionally, new teas, green teas, and lightly fermented oolongs have higher theophylline content; if you are prone to tea drunkenness, you can opt for fully fermented teas with lower theophylline levels, such as black tea or Pu-erh.
If you frequently feel dizzy and nauseous after drinking tea, you may also have a lower tolerance for caffeine and theophylline. It is recommended to reduce your tea intake—after all, health comes first.