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Yerba mate

Supplement botanical energy
Aka: Ilex paraguariensis
Brands seen in Singapore: Mate Factor, EcoTeas, Wisdom Of The Ancients, Choice Organics, The Tao of Tea
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
A caffeine-bearing tea; therapeutic claims are unsupported
When to take
As a daily infusion
Take with
Warm, not scalding — very hot drinking is an avoidable risk
Studied for
Human trials are short and mixed
Pros & cons
Pros
  • A real caffeine source — 1%–1.5% caffeine by weight
  • Rich in caffeoylquinic acids and methylxanthines
  • Unsmoked leaf is among the SG listings
Cons
  • Pooled RCTS: no effect on bmi or waist circumference
  • Very hot drinking and smoke-derived pahs are risks
  • Adverse events: insomnia, tachycardia, gut upset
Sources
  1. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), caffeine section, herbal caffeine sources (read via the archive.org capture; ods.od.nih.gov returns 403 to a direct fetch) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Many dietary supplements promoted for weight loss contain added caffeine or an herbal source—such as guarana (Paullinia cupana), kola (or cola) nut (Cola nitida), and yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis)—that naturally contains caffeine”
  2. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), caffeine safety, intake benchmarks (read via the archive.org capture; ods.od.nih.gov returns 403 to a direct fetch) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “For healthy adults, FDA and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) state that up to 400 mg/day caffeine does not pose safety concerns … the American Medical Association recommends that adolescents consume no more than 100 mg/day”
  3. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), caffeine section, 45-day yerba maté / guarana / damiana trial (read via the archive.org capture; ods.od.nih.gov returns 403 to a direct fetch) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “47 adults who were overweight (BMI 26–30) were randomized to take a combination product containing 336 mg yerba maté (1%–1.5% caffeine), 285 mg guarana (3%–6% caffeine), and 108 mg damiana … or placebo … for 45 days”
  4. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), caffeine section, result of the 45-day combination trial (read via the archive.org capture; ods.od.nih.gov returns 403 to a direct fetch) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “participants taking the herbal product lost a mean of 5.1 kg compared to 0.3 kg for those taking the placebo”
  5. Ilex paraguariensis (Yerba Mate): A Narrative Review of Bioactive Compounds, Biological Activities, and Green Extraction Technologies (Nutrients 2026) — background · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) is a widely consumed botanical beverage rich in caffeoylquinic acids, methylxanthines, flavonoids, and saponins.”
  6. Ilex paraguariensis (Yerba Mate): A Narrative Review (Nutrients 2026) — safety findings · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Safety depends on total caffeine exposure, preparation temperature, processing-related contaminants, individual susceptibility, and concurrent medication use. Very-hot consumption and smoke-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons represent avoidable risks.”
  7. Ilex paraguariensis (Yerba Mate): A Narrative Review (Nutrients 2026) — conclusion · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “yerba mate may represent a functional beverage and source of bioactive ingredients, but therapeutic claims remain unsupported”
  8. Yerba Maté and its impact on glycemic control and metabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Frontiers in Endocrinology 2025; 13 RCTs) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “No significant effects were found on triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, waist circumference, or BMI. Adverse events included mucosal irritation, insomnia, tachycardia, angina, headache, and gastrointestinal discomfort.”
  9. HSA — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (Oct 2025) — Annex B, item 1 (caffeine); the quote joins the 'Concerns / Issues' and 'Risk Mitigation Measures' columns of that one row · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Excessive use may cause nervousness, irritability, sleep disturbances, diuresis, increased blood pressure, heart rate and gastrointestinal disturbances … Indicate the amount of caffeine in your product so that consumers are aware of the amount consumed.”
  10. HSA — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (Oct 2025) — Annex A (118 substances, prohibited/restricted) and Annex B (4 substances: caffeine, Camellia sinensis extract, Hypericum perforatum, L-tryptophan) both read in full: yerba mate / Ilex paraguariensis is NOT LISTED in Annex A or Annex B · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list.”
  11. iHerb Singapore — Yerba Mate category (default order, "1 - 11 of 11 results") · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Mate Factor, Organic Yerba Mate, Loose Herb Tea, Fresh Green … EcoTeas, Loose Yerba Mate, Green Energy, Unsmoked … Wisdom Of The Ancients, Yerba Mate Royale® … Choice Organics, Herbal Yerba Mate, Apple Mate … The Tao of Tea, Organic Yerba Mate”
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Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.