Yerba Mate Consumption and Exercise Performance: Physiological Effects, Potential Benefits and Safety – A Narrative Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.72.74831Keywords
Yerba mate, Ilex paraguariensis, physical activity, supplements, exercise performanceAbstract
Introduction. Yerba mate, a traditional beverage prepared from the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, originates from South America but has gained increasing popularity worldwide. It has also attracted considerable interest among physically active individuals due to its high content of methylxanthines, chlorogenic acids, saponins, polyphenols, and other bioactive compounds. Its potential ergogenic and health-promoting properties have made yerba mate an increasingly important subject of research in the field of sports medicine and exercise science.
Background. Current evidence suggests that yerba mate exerts pleiotropic health-promoting effects on the human body and may influence exercise performance through multiple physiological mechanisms. Studies indicate that yerba mate consumption may modulate glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and cellular metabolism, while also exerting stimulatory effects and enhancing antioxidant capacity. However, the available evidence remains heterogeneous, and the assessment of yerba mate effects requires careful critical evaluation.
Aim: This narrative review aims to summarize and discuss the current evidence regarding the physiological effects of yerba mate consumption and its potential benefits for exercise performance. In addition, this review synthesizes the available evidence on the safety profile of yerba mate and the potential risks associated with its consumption.
Conclusions. Yerba mate appears to be a promising natural supplement with potential ergogenic and health-promoting benefits. Nevertheless, the current evidence remains limited. Further studies are required to confirm its efficacy and clarify the underlying physiological mechanisms.
References
1. Costa MS, Toscano LT, Toscano LLT, Luna VR, Torres RA, Silva JA, et al. Ergogenic potential of foods for performance and recovery: a new alternative in sports supplementation? A systematic review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022;62(6):1480-501. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1844137
2. Crowe KM, Francis C. Position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics: functional foods. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2013;113(8):1096-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2013.06.002
3. José MFB, Machado RP, Araujo PAB, Speretta GF. Physiological effects of yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis): a systematic review. Nutr Rev. 2023;81(9):1163-79. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuac109
4. Areta JL, Austarheim I, Wangensteen H, Capelli C. Metabolic and Performance Effects of Yerba Mate on Well-trained Cyclists. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018;50(4):817-26. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000001482
5. Gawron-Gzella A, Chanaj-Kaczmarek J, Cielecka-Piontek J. Yerba Mate-A Long but Current History. Nutrients. 2021;13(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13113706
6. Colpo AC, Rosa H, Lima ME, Pazzini CE, de Camargo VB, Bassante FE, et al. Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.)-based beverages: How successive extraction influences the extract composition and its capacity to chelate iron and scavenge free radicals. Food Chem. 2016;209:185-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.04.059
7. Palavicini SMS, Puton BMS, Jacques RA, Valduga E, Backes GT, Paroul N, et al. Bioactive Compounds of Ilex paraguariensis: A Critical Update on Extraction, Gastrointestinal Stability, and Technological Applications. J Food Sci. 2025;90(11):e70679. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.70679
8. Rząsa-Duran E, Kryczyk-Poprawa A, Drabicki D, Podkowa A, Sułkowska-Ziaja K, Szewczyk A, et al. Yerba Mate as a Source of Elements and Bioactive Compounds with Antioxidant Activity. Antioxidants (Basel). 2022;11(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11020371
9. Najman K, Rajewski R, Sadowska A, Hallmann E, Buczak K. Changes in the Physicochemical and Bioactive Properties of Yerba Mate Depending on the Brewing Conditions. Molecules. 2024;29(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29112590
10. Draim M, Rostkowska A, Kupisiak S, Pasierb N, Rękas B, Kosowska M, et al. Yerba Mate: The Natural Boost Your Body Craves. Quality in Sport. 2025;43:61359. https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2025.43.61359
11. Bilondi HT, Valipour H, Khoshro S, Jamilian P, Ostadrahimi A, Zarezadeh M. The effect of caffeine supplementation on muscular strength and endurance: A meta-analysis of meta-analyses. Heliyon. 2024;10(15):e35025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35025
12. Heck CI, de Mejia EG. Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis): a comprehensive review on chemistry, health implications, and technological considerations. J Food Sci. 2007;72(9):R138-51. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00535.x
13. Lisik BP, Sado A, Simlat A, Skowierzak F, Szada-Borzyszkowski K, Rogowska W, et al. Energy Drinks as a Risk Factor for Systemic Disorders: The Role of Caffeine and Taurine - A Literature Review. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2026;92:72516. https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2026.92.72516
14. Peng BJ, Zhu Q, Zhong YL, Xu SH, Wang Z. Chlorogenic Acid Maintains Glucose Homeostasis through Modulating the Expression of SGLT-1, GLUT-2, and PLG in Different Intestinal Segments of Sprague-Dawley Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet. Biomed Environ Sci. 2015;28(12):894-903. https://doi.org/10.3967/bes2015.123
15. Cui S, Xia Q, Xiong W, Wang Z, Zhang X, Wang W, et al. A Review of the Plant Sources, Chemical Properties, Pharmacological Effects, Pharmacokinetics, Toxicity, and Clinical Applications of Rutin. Chem Biodivers. 2026;23(2):e02064. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.202502064
16. Puangpraphant S, de Mejia EG. Saponins in yerba mate tea ( Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil) and quercetin synergistically inhibit iNOS and COX-2 in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages through NFkappaB pathways. J Agric Food Chem. 2009;57(19):8873-83. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf902255h
17. Li D, Yue L, Peng X, Chen L, Lin T, Huang L, et al. Yerba Maté and its impact on glycemic control and metabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2025;16:1641592. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2025.1641592
18. Derosa G, D'Angelo A, Maffioli P. Metabolic Actions of a Supplement of Ilex Paraguariensis (An Extract of the Leaf Standardized to 2% I-Deoxinojirimcina), White Mulberry and Chromium Picolinate in Nondiabetic Subects with Dysglycemia: A Randomized Trial. Life (Basel). 2021;11(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/life11070709
19. Tahapary DL, Pratisthita LB, Fitri NA, Marcella C, Wafa S, Kurniawan F, et al. Challenges in the diagnosis of insulin resistance: Focusing on the role of HOMA-IR and Tryglyceride/glucose index. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2022;16(8):102581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2022.102581
20. Park SY, Gautier JF, Chon S. Assessment of Insulin Secretion and Insulin Resistance in Human. Diabetes Metab J. 2021;45(5):641-54. https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2021.0220
21. Gebara KS, Gasparotto Junior A, Palozi RAC, Morand C, Bonetti CI, Gozzi PT, et al. A Randomized Crossover Intervention Study on the Effect a Standardized Maté Extract (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.) in Men Predisposed to Cardiovascular Risk. Nutrients. 2020;13(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13010014
22. Masson W, Barbagelata L, Lobo M, Nogueira JP, Corral P, Lavalle-Cobo A. Effect of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) on Lipid Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2022;77(3):353-66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-022-00991-2
23. Bravo L, Martínez-López S, Sierra-Cinos JL, Mateos R, Sarriá B. Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.) Tea May Have Cardiometabolic Beneficial Effects in Healthy and At-Risk Subjects: A Randomized, Controlled, Blind, Crossover Trial in Nonhabitual Consumers. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2025;69(15):e70065. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.70065
24. Gozhenko A, Pavlega H, Zukow W. Features of circulating in the blood desquamated endotheliocytes at the patients with ischemic heart disease and hypertonic disease as well as their comorbidity. Pedagogy and Psychology of Sport. 2025;25:66268. https://doi.org/10.12775/PPS.2025.25.66268
25. Gao H, Liu Z, Qu X, Zhao Y. Effects of Yerba Mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) on vascular endothelial function and liver lipoprotein receptor gene expression in hyperlipidemic rats. Fitoterapia. 2013;84:264-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2012.12.024
26. Higashi Y. Noninvasive Assessment of Vascular Function: From Physiological Tests to Biomarkers. JACC Asia. 2024;4(12):898-911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacasi.2024.09.015
27. Petrucci G, Buck GA, Rocca B, Parish S, Baigent C, Hatem D, et al. Thromboxane biosynthesis and future events in diabetes: the ASCEND trial. Eur Heart J. 2024;45(15):1355-67. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad868
28. Joannides R, Bellien J, Thuillez C. Clinical methods for the evaluation of endothelial function-- a focus on resistance arteries. Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2006;20(3):311-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-8206.2006.00406.x
29. Matsumoto RL, Bastos DH, Mendonça S, Nunes VS, Bartchewsky W, Ribeiro ML, et al. Effects of mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) ingestion on mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, and total antioxidant status in healthy young women. J Agric Food Chem. 2009;57(5):1775-80. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf803096g
30. Walton CM, Saito ER, Warren CE, Larsen JG, Remund NP, Reynolds PR, et al. Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) Supplement Exerts Beneficial, Tissue-Specific Effects on Mitochondrial Efficiency and Redox Status in Healthy Adult Mice. Nutrients. 2023;15(20). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15204454
31. Andrade VMM, de Moura AF, da Costa Chaves K, da Rocha CPD, de Andrade CBV, Trevenzoli IH, et al. Yerba mate consumption by ovariectomized rats alters white adipose tissue. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2023;564:111881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2023.111881
32. Lizcano F. The Beige Adipocyte as a Therapy for Metabolic Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(20). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20205058
33. Kim SY, Oh MR, Kim MG, Chae HJ, Chae SW. Anti-obesity effects of Yerba Mate (Ilex Paraguariensis): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2015;15:338. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-015-0859-1
34. Branco Cdos S, Scola G, Rodrigues AD, Cesio V, Laprovitera M, Heinzen H, et al. Anticonvulsant, neuroprotective and behavioral effects of organic and conventional yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) on pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in Wistar rats. Brain Res Bull. 2013;92:60-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2012.11.008
35. Bernardi A, Ballestero P, Schenk M, Ferrario M, Gómez G, Rivero R, et al. Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) favors survival and growth of dopaminergic neurons in culture. Mov Disord. 2019;34(6):920-2. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.27667
36. Luz ABG, da Silva CHB, Nascimento M, de Campos Facchin BM, Baratto B, Fröde TS, et al. The anti-inflammatory effect of Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil (Mate) in a murine model of pleurisy. Int Immunopharmacol. 2016;36:165-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2016.04.027
37. Puangpraphant S, Dia VP, de Mejia EG, Garcia G, Berhow MA, Wallig MA. Yerba mate tea and mate saponins prevented azoxymethane-induced inflammation of rat colon through suppression of NF-κB p65ser(311) signaling via IκB-α and GSK-3β reduced phosphorylation. Biofactors. 2013;39(4):430-40. https://doi.org/10.1002/biof.1083
38. Alkhatib A. Yerba Maté (Illex Paraguariensis) ingestion augments fat oxidation and energy expenditure during exercise at various submaximal intensities. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2014;11:42. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-11-42
39. Lobo PCB, da Silva DD, Pimentel GD. Acute Supplementation of Yerba Mate Extract Did Not Change Muscle Strength in Physically Active Men Following the Strength Muscle Test: A Pilot Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2022;14(13). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14132619
40. Alkhatib A, Atcheson R. Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) Metabolic, Satiety, and Mood State Effects at Rest and during Prolonged Exercise. Nutrients. 2017;9(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080882
41. Panza VP, Diefenthaeler F, Tamborindeguy AC, Camargo Cde Q, de Moura BM, Brunetta HS, et al. Effects of mate tea consumption on muscle strength and oxidative stress markers after eccentric exercise. Br J Nutr. 2016;115(8):1370-8. https://doi.org/10.1017/s000711451600043x
42. Berengeno AL, Garona J, Salinas FJ, Belotti EM, Alonso DF, Salvetti NR, et al. Wound Healing Potential of a Formulation Containing Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) Extract: A Preclinical Study in a Rat Model of Undernutrition. J Food Sci. 2025;90(7):e70399. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.70399
43. Humans IWGotEoCRt. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Drinking Coffee, Mate, and Very Hot Beverages. Lyon (FR): International Agency for Research on Cancer
© International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2018. For more information contact publications@iarc.fr.; 2018.
44. Lubin JH, De Stefani E, Abnet CC, Acosta G, Boffetta P, Victora C, et al. Maté drinking and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in South America: pooled results from two large multicenter case-control studies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2014;23(1):107-16. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.Epi-13-0796
45. Okaru AO, Rullmann A, Farah A, Gonzalez de Mejia E, Stern MC, Lachenmeier DW. Comparative oesophageal cancer risk assessment of hot beverage consumption (coffee, mate and tea): the margin of exposure of PAH vs very hot temperatures. BMC Cancer. 2018;18(1):236. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-018-4060-z
46. Loomis D, Guyton KZ, Grosse Y, Lauby-Secretan B, El Ghissassi F, Bouvard V, et al. Carcinogenicity of drinking coffee, mate, and very hot beverages. Lancet Oncol. 2016;17(7):877-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1470-2045(16)30239-x
47. de Morais EC, Stefanuto A, Klein GA, Boaventura BC, de Andrade F, Wazlawik E, et al. Consumption of yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis ) improves serum lipid parameters in healthy dyslipidemic subjects and provides an additional LDL-cholesterol reduction in individuals on statin therapy. J Agric Food Chem. 2009;57(18):8316-24. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf901660g
48. Klein GA, Stefanuto A, Boaventura BC, de Morais EC, Cavalcante Lda S, de Andrade F, et al. Mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) improves glycemic and lipid profiles of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes individuals: a pilot study. J Am Coll Nutr. 2011;30(5):320-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2011.10719975
49. Peng B, Dong Q, Li F, Wang T, Qiu X, Zhu T. A Systematic Review of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Derivatives: Occurrences, Levels, Biotransformation, Exposure Biomarkers, and Toxicity. Environ Sci Technol. 2023;57(41):15314-35. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c03170
50. Vieira MA, Maraschin M, Rovaris AA, Amboni RD, Pagliosa CM, Xavier JJ, et al. Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons throughout the processing stages of erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis). Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2010;27(6):776-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/19440041003587310
51. Feltrin C, Farias IV, Sandjo LP, Reginatto FH, Simões CMO. Effects of Standardized Medicinal Plant Extracts on Drug Metabolism Mediated by CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 Enzymes. Chem Res Toxicol. 2020;33(9):2408-19. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00182
52. Li Y, Gan L, Wu Y, Liu Y, Zhang N, Jiang T, et al. A Critical Review of Cytochrome P450 Enzyme Inhibition by Herbal Phytochemicals: Implications for Drug Interaction Prediction and Herbal Safety. Phytother Res. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.70414
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Olga Stasiak, Bartosz Gawior, Alicja Sołtan, Justyna Laskus, Gracjan Koźma, Paweł Klimas; Jakub Pawlicki; Longin Rudnicki, Dominika Kochan-Olszewska, Jagoda Prządka, Julia Lipska, Natalia Wiktorzak, Małgorzata Witaszczyk, Marta Borkowska
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 14
Number of citations: 0
