What if your cozy herbal tea ritual held more power than you thought? Clif High recently dropped a nugget: lemongrass tea might help protect against radiation. Not just a flavor booster or digestive aid—radioprotective. Sound fringe? Maybe. But some surprising studies back him up. Turns out, lemongrass isn’t just a folk remedy—it may also guard your DNA, support cellular repair, and counteract oxidative stress triggered by radiation exposure.
📚 Promising Scientific & Observational Evidence
1. DNA Damage Protection – V79 Cells
- Study: Protective effects of Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) extract against radiation-induced DNA damage.
- Published In: Human & Experimental Toxicology
- Findings: Hydroalcoholic lemongrass extract significantly reduced micronuclei formation in radiation-exposed cells. This suggests it helps shield DNA from ionizing radiation by scavenging free radicals.
- Link: PubMed Study
2. Antioxidant & Radioprotective in Animal Models
- Study: Aqueous extract of lemongrass evaluated alongside star anise for radioprotection.
- Published In: Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine
- Findings: Lemongrass extract restored antioxidant enzyme levels in irradiated rats, reduced lipid peroxidation, and helped maintain cellular integrity.
- Link: ScienceDirect Abstract
3. Anti-UVC (Ultraviolet C) Activity
- Study: Fat-soluble herbal extracts compared for UVC radioprotection.
- Published In: In Vivo
- Findings: Lemongrass extract uniquely displayed protection against UVC-induced cell death among 12 plants tested. This implies shielding effects against higher-energy radiation bands (UVC = shorter wavelength than visible light).
- Link: PubMed Central Full Text
🔬 Why It Might Work
- High in Citral & Flavonoids: Citral is a potent antioxidant and may directly quench reactive oxygen species triggered by radiation.
- Enzyme Support: Lemongrass helps modulate endogenous antioxidant systems like glutathione peroxidase and catalase.
- Anti-inflammatory Edge: Radiation causes systemic inflammation—lemongrass counteracts this by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines.
