We hear so much about the health benefits of tea that we can’t help but wonder about the side effects of tea too. The popularity of tea is growing rapidly. It is soothing, invigorating, and comes in a variety of flavors. What’s not to love, right?
As one of the most popular beverages in the world, second only to water, it is important that you not only know the health benefits of tea, but that you’re also aware of the potential bad effects of tea on health.
* Increase the risk of esophageal cancerA 2008 study showed that drinking tea that is too hot may increase your risk of developing esophageal cancer.
The study examined regular drinkers of black tea. Those who drank their tea hot (65-69°C/149-156°F) or very hot (over 70°C/158°) were more likely to develop esophageal cancer.
* Tea may cause osteofluorosisThere are cases of people who have damaged their bones by drinking too much tea.
A case published in the New England Journal of Medicine details a 47-year-old woman who developed brittle bones and lost all of her teeth from drinking too much tea. Every day, she drank tea made from 100-150 tea bags, giving her a daily fluoride consumption > 20mg.
* Tea may increase the risk of prostate cancerResearch from the University of Glasgow linked heavy tea drinking with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
The research indicated that men who drank seven or more cups of tea a day had a 50% higher risk of prostate cancer than those who drank little to no tea (0 to 3 cups daily). Drinking 4-6 cups a day didn’t significantly increase the risk over drinking 0-3 cups daily.
* Tea may have negative caffeine side effectsTea naturally contains caffeine. While the benefits of caffeine include increased energy and alertness, if you consume too much or are sensitive to caffeine, you may experience some negative side effects.
Common negative caffeine side effects include difficulty sleeping, increased heart rate, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and more.