Lemongrass Tea: What Research Shows About the Tea, Safety and Cautions
Lemongrass tea is made from Cymbopogon citratus leaves. What small human trials and reviews show, including a kidney-function signal, plus allergy and liver reports and unknowns.
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People with kidney problems should ask a clinician before drinking lemongrass tea regularly. In a randomized trial of 105 healthy adults aged 18 to 35, infusions made from 2, 4 or 8 g of lemongrass leaf powder once daily for 30 days were followed by a significant fall in creatinine clearance and estimated kidney filtration (eGFR) in all groups. [1] The authors called these dose- and time-dependent adverse effects. [1] It was one trial, in healthy volunteers, measuring blood and urine markers rather than illness, but it is a reason for care.
What lemongrass tea is
Lemongrass tea is an infusion of the leaves of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf, a grass in the family Poaceae. [2] The NIH LactMed database refers to West Indian lemongrass leaf as an ingredient in one tea mixture. [3] A common-name trap: the title of a 2024 systematic review calls C. citratus "lemon verbena", but lemon verbena is a different plant (Aloysia citrodora Paláu, Verbenaceae). [4][5] See Lemon Verbena Tea. Lemongrass essential oil is a separate product with different safety rules; see Essential Oils. The plant profile is at Lemongrass (herb profile).Traditional use
A 2022 review describes lemongrass as a herb commonly used in folk medicine for many purposes. [6] That is traditional use only and does not specify peoples or regions.What research shows
| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Form and population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood pressure | A 2022 review states that in healthy and hypertensive people, drinking lemongrass tea decreases blood pressure, but says its anti-hypertensive potential has not been thoroughly studied. [6] We did not read the underlying trials. | Promising but limited | Lemongrass tea, humans (review summary) |
| Kidney function | Creatinine clearance and eGFR fell after 30 days of daily infusions; creatinine rose; urea rose in the 4 g and 8 g groups. [1] | Evidence of possible harm (small trial, lab markers) | Infusions from 2, 4 or 8 g leaf powder, 105 healthy adults, 30 days |
| Blood counts | In the same participants, hemoglobin, packed cell volume and red cell count rose. The authors suggested a blood-building effect, but this was a lab-marker result. [7] | Insufficient evidence | Same trial group, so not independent of the kidney result |
| Urine output | The review reports a weak to moderate diuretic effect in animals and humans. [6] | Insufficient evidence | Mixed |
| Anxiety, sleep, digestion, weight | Proper evidence not found for lemongrass tea in the sources we read. We searched PubMed for "lemongrass tea", "Cymbopogon citratus infusion human randomized" and safety and clinical review terms. | Insufficient evidence | Tea |
| Milk supply while breastfeeding | LactMed found no scientifically valid clinical trials supporting this use. [3] | No good evidence of benefit | Tea mixtures |
Safety
- Kidney. See the first section. [1] The review calls lemongrass well tolerated but says its safety profile should be better characterized. [6]
- Liver. LactMed says rare cases of liver toxicity have occurred with lemongrass and describes a woman with elevated liver enzymes who took a tea mixture containing West Indian lemongrass leaf. [3] The mixture had other ingredients, so the cause cannot be pinned on lemongrass. See Liver Safety and Supplements.
- Allergy. Two aromatherapists became allergic to lemongrass oil on patch testing, and one later developed dermatitis after ingesting lemongrass tea and Thai food. [3]
- Medicines. No interaction with a specific medicine is described in the sources we read. Because a review reports a blood-pressure-lowering and mild diuretic effect, people taking blood pressure medicines or diuretics may wish to ask a pharmacist. This is a theoretical concern, not a documented one. See How Interactions Work and Herbal Tea, the Liver and Kidneys.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, surgery: not described in the sources we read, so we make no claim. Tell a surgical team about herbal teas before a procedure.
- Quality: see Quality Testing and Certifications.
What we could not find
An official regulator statement on lemongrass tea and a per-cup safety limit are not described in the sources we read.Frequently asked questions
Does lemongrass tea lower blood pressure?
A 2022 review says drinking it lowers blood pressure in healthy and hypertensive people, but it also says the research is thin and safety needs better characterization. [6]
Is lemongrass tea bad for the kidneys?
One 30-day trial in 105 healthy young adults found lower eGFR and creatinine clearance after daily infusions, which the authors called a dose- and time-dependent adverse effect. [1] It is a small trial of lab markers. People with kidney disease should ask a clinician.
Does lemongrass tea increase milk supply?
No good evidence. LactMed found no scientifically valid trials. [3]
Can lemongrass cause allergy?
Allergic sensitization has occurred, including dermatitis after drinking lemongrass tea in one reported case. [3]
Is lemongrass tea the same as lemon verbena tea?
No. They are different plants in different families. [2][5]
References
- Ekpenyong CE, Daniel NE, Antai AB. Effect of lemongrass tea consumption on estimated glomerular filtration rate and creatinine clearance rate. J Ren Nutr. 2015;25(1):57-66 Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy Read 2026-10-23.
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), NICHD/NIH. Lemongrass, updated 15 Oct 2026 Read 2026-10-23.
- Effectiveness of Lemon Verbena (Cymbopogon citratus) in Oral Candidiasis: A Systematic Review. Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2024 (title read; used only to illustrate a common-name mix-up) Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. Aloysia citrodora Paláu, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy Read 2026-10-23.
- Silva H, Bárbara R. Exploring the anti-hypertensive potential of lemongrass: a comprehensive review. Biology (Basel). 2022;11(10):1382 Read 2026-10-23.
- Ekpenyong CE, Daniel NE, Antai AB. Bioactive natural constituents from lemongrass tea and erythropoiesis boosting effects: potential use in prevention and treatment of anemia. J Med Food. 2015;18(1):118-27 Read 2026-10-23.