An Overview of Research on the Potential Health Benefits of Tea

TEA AND REDUCED RISK OF KIDNEY STONES

Increased intake of fluids is routinely recommended for people who have had kidney stones to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. A recent study that followed 81,093 women for eight years suggests that beverage choice may also affect kidney stones development. The study found that for each eight-ounce cup of tea consumed daily by female participants with no previous history of kidney stones, the risk of developing stones appeared to be lowered by eight percent⁵³. An earlier study of 45,289 men reported a similar relationship, suggesting that for each eight-ounce serving of tea consumed daily, a 14 percent decrease in risk of stone development was observed⁵⁴.

TEA AND REDUCED RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS

Although high caffeine intake has been suggested to be a risk factor for reduced bone mineral density (BMD), research indicates that that drinking tea does not negatively affect BMD, and while it may be too soon to state definitively, findings suggest that tea may even play a role in bone health. A study published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that older women who drank tea had higher BMD measurements than those who did not drink tea. The researchers concluded that the flavonoids in tea might influence bone mass and that tea drinking may reduce the risk of osteoporosis⁵⁵. Another recent study found that habitual tea-drinking was seen to have a significant beneficial effect on the BMD of adults (30 years and older), especially in those who had been habitual tea-drinkers for six or more years⁵⁶. Studies in adolescent⁵⁷ and postmenopausal women⁵⁸ found no relationship between caffeine intake and bone health.

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