Herbal Tea Before Surgery
Why surgical teams ask about herbal tea and extracts, what reviews say about bleeding and anesthesia, and why research on the drink itself is thin. Tell your team.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Natural products can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read herbal tea and extract safety before you use anything on this page.
A review of herbal medicines around surgery reports that 50-70% of surgical patients do not tell their doctors about herbal use. [1] Another review says patients often fail to mention these products to their healthcare provider. [2] A simple written list is the easiest fix; see supplements before surgery and vitamins and supplements before surgery.
Why a cup of tea can matter to surgeons
Surgery and anesthesia use medicines that change blood clotting, heart rhythm, blood pressure and alertness. The sources we read describe three kinds of concern. Most were written about herbal medicines and supplements in general, and the studies often do not say whether the plant was taken as a tea.- Bleeding. A review of dietary supplements and clotting during surgery lists reported bleeding risks for garlic, ginkgo, ginseng, green tea, saw palmetto, St John's wort and fish oil. [3] NIH says garlic supplements may raise bleeding risk and that telling providers matters most before surgery. [4] NIH also says feverfew may slow clotting and should be stopped at least 2 weeks before scheduled surgery. [5]
- Sedation and anesthesia medicines. NIH says valerian should not be taken with alcohol or sedatives, because it may have a sleep-inducing effect (this is possible, not proven). [6] A 2024 review says herbal products can interact with anesthetic medicines and can affect the heart, blood pressure, the nervous system and the liver. [1]
- What is really in the product. A review for anesthesia providers notes that herbal products vary in quality and that intentional or unintentional contaminants remain a substantial concern. [2] See quality testing and certifications.
What the sources say about timing
Two statements are worth reading carefully.| Source | What it says | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 review in the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia | The American Society of Anesthesiologists and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists recommend stopping herbal medications 1-2 weeks before elective surgical procedures. [1] | Herbal medications in general, not tea specifically |
| NIH, feverfew page | Feverfew should be stopped at least 2 weeks before scheduled surgery. [5] | One herb; the page is not about tea |
| 2015 review of supplements and clotting | Effects on clotting are difficult to predict, so it is prudent to advise discontinuation before surgery. [3] | Supplements and herbal products |
These are statements by professional groups, a review author and NIH. They are not instructions for you. Your surgical team may give a different timeline for your operation, and some operations are urgent. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own; ask the prescriber or pharmacist.
What about herbal tea specifically?
Proper evidence not found. We looked for studies of herbal tea as a drink and bleeding or anesthesia problems: our PubMed searches (herbal supplements, anesthesia, surgery) returned reviews about supplements and herbal medicines, and none of the abstracts we read tested a tea. [3][1] That is a gap in what we found, not proof that tea is safe. A mild tea in food-like amounts may carry little risk, and the same plant as a concentrated extract or capsule may carry more. Sources do not transfer between those forms, so surgical teams usually ask about all of them.For example, NIH calls chamomile likely safe in the amounts found in teas, but also lists a reported interaction with warfarin, a blood thinner. [7] That is a reason to mention chamomile tea to the team if you take warfarin or another anticoagulant, not a reason for alarm.
What a sensible list looks like
Write down, for each item: the plant name on the label (see reading a tea or tincture label), whether it is a tea, tincture or capsule, how often you have it, and when you last did. Bring your prescriptions too. The medicine interactions guide explains how to read interaction reports, and the list of questions for a pharmacist can help you prepare. For tea and medicine reports in general, see herbal tea and medicine interactions.Frequently asked questions
Do I need to tell my surgeon about herbal tea?
Yes. Reviews report that many surgical patients do not mention herbal products, and teams cannot weigh a risk they do not know about. [1][2]
Does herbal tea increase bleeding?
We did not find studies of herbal tea as a drink that answer this. Reviews and NIH describe bleeding concerns for some herbs, such as garlic and feverfew, mostly as supplements. [3][4][5] Proper evidence not found for tea itself.
How long before surgery should I stop herbal products?
A 2024 review says two US anesthesia groups recommend 1-2 weeks for herbal medications before elective surgery. [1] Your own team decides the timing for your operation and your medicines.
Is chamomile tea safe before an operation?
NIH calls chamomile likely safe in tea amounts but lists a reported interaction with warfarin. [7] Tell the team about it, especially if you take a blood thinner.
Do tinctures and capsules matter more than tea?
They can, because they are more concentrated, and sources about one form do not carry over to another. Mention every form you use, including the ones that seem mild. See tea, tincture or capsule.
References
- Elvir Lazo OL et al. Use of herbal medication in the perioperative period: Potential adverse drug interactions. J Clin Anesth, 2024 (review). Read 2026-10-23.
- Donoghue TJ. Herbal Medications and Anesthesia Case Management. AANA J, 2018 (review). Read 2026-10-23.
- Wang CZ et al. Commonly Used Dietary Supplements on Coagulation Function during Surgery. Medicines (Basel), 2015 (review). Read 2026-10-23.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Garlic: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Feverfew: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Valerian: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Chamomile: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-23.