How Does Drinking Kombucha Regularly Make You Feel

GoodRx Health

Kombucha is a fizzy, fermented tea drink that has been around for centuries. It's made by brewing tea, sugar, and a culture of bacteria and yeast. The concoction is growing in popularity because of its potential health benefits.

Some studies suggest that kombucha may support gut health because it contains probiotics. While scientists are still studying its health benefits, fans of kombucha say they drink it for its antioxidants and to aid with digestion.

Naturally, kombucha has a tangy, slight vinegary flavor and a trace amount of alcohol. Many brewers enhance the taste with fruit flavors. Some commercial brands contain a lot of added sugar, so experts recommend paying attention to nutrition labels.

Here's how three people describe the benefits of drinking kombucha on a regular basis.

Looking for relief from a bloated stomach

Tila Lane discovered kombucha when her now-8-year-old son was an infant.

The dance teacher and fitness instructor from Fairfield, Ohio, was having digestive issues. She blamed a suspected gluten intolerance.

"I was just having terrible stomach bloating," Tila says. "I had a protruding belly, and I just couldn't understand where it was coming from."

She says kombucha turned the tide for her.

"For me, it was win-win," she says. "I found something I like that was not unhealthy. And that satisfied that carbonation fuel that I was looking for and that I don't typically get from juice."

She introduced it to her husband, who was also enthusiastic.

"I was spending a lot of time at home. And so I started brewing [kombucha] myself, and it became like a fun little project," Tila says.

In 2022, Tila started a business creating homemade kombucha to sell at local shops and farmers' markets.

"Kombucha is that one thing that I always reach for whenever I'm going through any type of weird thing with my body," says Tila, now 34. "Whether it's a certain time of the month, or our diet has been off, or we're not working out as much, or hormones are going up and down. Whenever I notice something just a little bit off, I look for kombucha."

Among other things, she says, "When I am drinking kombucha, I definitely notice my skin getting clearer. There is no crash when I drink kombucha, like I do with caffeine or soda, something high in sugar. I feel relaxed and energized."

Still, she says, "The main reason why I kept gravitating towards kombucha is I notice the difference in my gut."

She grabs a kombucha whenever she has a high-carb meal.

"I feel the difference in my bloating," she says. "I can see the difference as well. Seeing is believing, and that's definitely my experience with kombucha."

A better option than sugary soda

Susan Devlin, a 58-year-old learning consultant from Fort Thomas, Kentucky, started drinking kombucha to ease the symptoms of her irritable bowel syndrome.

"I love Pepsi," Susan says. "I would, if I could, drink it every day." But she cannot because "I would have a lot of gassy stomach and acidity," she says.

Her first thought when a friend suggested kombucha? "Fermented tea. That sounds really weird."

She took a taste, enjoyed it, and looked into its benefits. Number one: "It has far less sugar than the soda does," she says. Generally, she finds it less acidic than soda. She also appreciates kombucha's probiotic qualities and vitamins such as B12. "As a vegan, you generally have to supplement that," she says.

Still, she limits her intake. "Drinking a whole lot - which I did in the beginning because I was really enthusiastic about it - that could give me diarrhea."

As a fermented beverage, kombucha often contains a small amount of alcohol. Susan says she rarely notices that effect. In fact, she recalls only one time that she felt the alcohol.

"I thought I got a little buzz from it," she says. "It may have been in that instance it had extra yeast in it. You can't really predict the alcohol content. But typically, it is so low as to not even be an issue."

Now, she brews her own.

"I like the variety. I love experimenting with flavors," Susan says. Her own recipes include fruits such as strawberry, blueberry, and pineapple; spices such as cardamom and black pepper; and maple.

She also admits to being a kombucha advocate, bringing samples to her choir group, work, and potlucks.

"Yeah, I definitely was trying to get people interested in it," she says.

For food pairings, Susan recommends something salty or savory, but no sweets. "If you're eating it with a dessert," she says, "it's gonna be super sour."

The fermented fizz makes her feel good

Alaina Edwards, a 44-year-old yoga studio owner in Tawas City, Michigan, had no reservations about trying kombucha when it was first introduced to her.

"I love anything fermented," she says. "Pickles and vinegar and fruit and sparkling water, kimchi," she says. "I don't drink pop. So for me, it had that effervescent feel, like what people would get when they drink a soda pop."

Alaina also likes kombucha's B vitamins and probiotics. They fill nutrient needs she has from not eating dairy products, such as yogurt.

Like Tila and Susan, she also started brewing her own kombucha.

"I do make kombucha because I'm someone that, if I love something, I want to make it. It's like having a little pet, something you've got to feed and take care of," she says. "Once it gets brewing, you kind of have to keep up on it. Otherwise, you're pretty much making vinegar."

She adds that homemade kombucha offers big savings over commercial brands.

"A big reason why I drink it is because it does make me happier. It gives me more energy. It puts something healthy in my hand, as opposed to a beer or a glass of wine," Alaina says.

Her husband and mother are both kombucha drinkers now, she says. "We use kombucha as our happy hour, almost like a ceremony. We all get excited when we pop that bottle. We all take a little glass of it and we say, 'Cheers,' and then we drink."

What does the doctor say?

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Senior Medical Editor

Kombucha is a popular fermented drink that naturally contains probiotics. Probiotics can help maintain a healthy balance of good gut bacteria, which can benefit overall gut health. There's still not a lot of research around kombucha's health benefits. But fans say it helps with a wide variety of health issues.

While there's no evidence that kombucha can treat or prevent any conditions, it may still be a helpful addition to your diet. Kombucha is naturally high in some antioxidants, which can help ease inflammation. It's also lower in sugar than most juices and soda, and lowering sugar intake is good for your overall health.

When choosing a kombucha product, keep these things in mind:

• Added sugar: Kombucha always contains some sugar. But pick a brand that minimizes added sugars.

• Pasteurization: Some kombucha brands are not pasteurized. It's best to choose a brand that is pasteurized. You should avoid unpasteurized drinks if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system. Babies and young children should not drink unpasteurized drinks, either.

• Alcohol content: Kombucha naturally contains some alcohol. Usually it's a very low amount, but this can vary from brand to brand. There is no amount of alcohol that is safe for babies and children to consume. Experts recommend people who are pregnant avoid all alcohol.

Follow safe practices if you brew your own kombucha. You can get sick if you drink kombucha that isn't made safely.

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