Is Rooibos Tea Good for Headaches?

Partly: rooibos tea may help a headache when dehydration contributes to it, because the water in the tea helps replace fluids. Plain rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free, but rooibos itself has not been shown to treat headaches.

When might rooibos tea help a headache?

Rooibos tea is most likely to be useful as a drink when you have not had enough fluid. If dehydration is contributing to your headache, drinking it can help restore hydration. It is the water, rather than a proven headache-relieving effect of rooibos, that explains this potential benefit.

Headaches have many possible causes, though, and dehydration is not always one of them. A cup of rooibos tea may be comforting, but it may make no difference to a headache caused by something else.

For a broader look at hydration and headache relief, see the best drinks for headaches.

How could rooibos tea affect headaches?

Your body needs water to function, and a headache can occur when you are dehydrated. Thirst, a dry mouth and darker urine can also accompany dehydration, although these signs do not establish the cause of a headache on their own.

Rooibos tea contributes fluid just as other water-based drinks do. If you are thirsty or have been drinking less than usual, sipping a drink is a reasonable first step. You do not need to force large amounts of fluid in the hope of faster relief.

Plain rooibos is naturally caffeine-free, which may suit someone who wants to avoid caffeine. Check the label on a blend, however, because added tea or other ingredients may contain caffeine.

Caffeine withdrawal can also cause headaches. Rooibos tea will not replace caffeine for someone experiencing withdrawal, so switching to it does not necessarily address that cause.

What does the evidence say about rooibos and headaches?

No clinical studies were identified that test rooibos tea for headaches or migraine. There is therefore no reliable evidence that rooibos tea prevents headaches, shortens them or reduces their intensity.

Rooibos contains plant compounds often described as antioxidants, but that alone does not show that drinking it relieves headaches. Findings about compounds in a plant cannot establish how an ordinary cup of tea affects a person with a headache.

The lack of headache-specific evidence does not prove rooibos tea cannot help anyone. It means there is no established therapeutic dose or reliable expectation of relief. Treat it as a source of fluid, not as a proven headache remedy.

How can you use rooibos tea safely?

Choose plain rooibos and prepare it according to the package directions, using freshly boiled water. Let it cool to a comfortable drinking temperature before sipping it. If you prefer it cold, refrigerate the brewed tea promptly and drink it within 24 hours.

Have it as part of your normal fluid intake rather than trying to drink as much as possible. If you have been told to limit fluids, follow your clinician’s advice instead of increasing your intake for a headache.

You can drink rooibos tea without sweetener. Adding sugar or honey changes the drink, but there is no evidence that either addition makes rooibos a headache treatment.

If your headache persists, do not keep drinking tea in place of getting advice. Keep track of when headaches happen, how long they last and any other symptoms; that information can help a clinician assess recurring headaches.

Who should be careful, and when should you see a doctor?

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask a clinician about using rooibos regularly as a remedy; evidence about medicinal use in these situations is limited. Ask a child’s clinician about persistent or recurring headaches rather than relying on rooibos tea. People with kidney, heart or liver disease who have fluid restrictions should follow their prescribed limits.

If you take medication or have a medical condition, check with a clinician or pharmacist before using rooibos regularly for a health purpose. Information on interactions is limited. Do not stop or change prescribed medication because you are drinking rooibos tea.

Seek urgent medical care for a sudden, extremely severe headache; a headache with fever and a stiff neck; new weakness, confusion, or trouble speaking or seeing; or a headache after a head injury. A new or severe headache during pregnancy or after birth also needs urgent assessment.

Arrange a medical appointment if headaches keep returning, worsen, disrupt daily life or do not improve. A clinician can help identify possible causes and discuss appropriate treatment.