Rooibos for Skin Health

Research suggests a possible association between rooibos tea consumption and certain health outcomes, though the evidence base for skin health specifically is extremely limited and indirect. The single available study is a large prospective observational study of over 5,000 participants that examined rooibos in the context of COVID-19 infection risk rather than skin health, finding a statistical association between rooibos consumption and lower infection rates. This type of observational study cannot establish causation, and the finding may reflect confounding factors, such as rooibos drinkers sharing other health-conscious behaviors. Overall, the current published research does not provide a meaningful evidence base from which to draw conclusions about rooibos and skin health, and readers interested in this topic should be aware that well-designed clinical trials directly investigating this relationship appear to be lacking.