Scientists have found an unexpected way to sneeze less with allergies
Japanese scientists have found that powdered matcha green tea can reduce the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. In experiments on mice, the drink helped to reduce the body's reaction to the allergen.
The results of the study are published in the journal npj Science of Food.
The study was conducted by experts from Hiroshima University. They studied whether matcha can affect the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, a disease that causes runny nose, itching and frequent sneezing in people.
Details
Matcha is a powder made from specially grown green tea leaves. It is rich in antioxidants, amino acids and other bioactive substances.
In the experiment, mice with a model of allergic rhinitis were used. The animals were given matcha two to three times a week for five weeks, as well as an additional dose before contact with the allergen.
As a result, the mice showed a much weaker allergic reaction than the researchers expected.
The scientists found that matcha has little or no effect on the basic immune mechanisms of allergy. Instead, it affects the nerve centres in the brain that trigger the sneezing reflex.
Benefits
Researchers believe that matcha has the potential to be a natural addition to the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
However, they emphasise that the results so far have only been obtained on animals. Human clinical trials are needed to confirm the effect.
Nevertheless, the work shows that substances in green tea may influence the neural mechanisms associated with allergy symptoms.
Background
Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common allergic diseases. Its symptoms include runny nose, itchy nose, tearing and frequent sneezing attacks.
Source
Sawako Ogata et al, Matcha alleviates sneezing response in a murine model of allergic rhinitis, npj Science of Food (2026), DOI: 10.1038/s41538-026-00777-9