UK: Drinking too much cheap tea could brew up health issues

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pfpcnews
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UK: Drinking too much cheap tea could brew up health issues

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How drinking too much cheap tea could brew up future health issues

Derby Telegraph - July 24, 2013

By Zena Hawley

DRINKING some cheaper supermarket tea blends could be bad for people's health, according to a research study at the University of Derby.

There are worries that the tea blends contain enough fluoride to put people drinking at least four cups a day over their daily recommended levels, increasing the risk of skeletal and dental illnesses.

Levels of fluoride found in 38 tea products were compared with each other and to the US National Academy of Sciences' daily dietary reference intake of 4 milligrams a day, in the research by Laura Chan, Professor Aradhana Mehra and Professor Paul Lynch.

Significant differences in fluoride levels were discovered when economy black tea blends from the main supermarkets Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury's were compared with branded black and green tea blends and pure blends.

Economy black tea blends had the highest concentration of fluoride – an average of 6 milligrams per litre – over the recommended daily intake.

Green tea blends had the next highest concentrations, followed by branded black blends with an average of 3.3 milligrams per litre and then pure blends with 0.7 milligrams.

Associate lecturer Laura Chan, who carried out the study for her PhD, said: "The tea plant, camellia sinensis, is a fluoride accumulator, with mature leaves storing most of the fluoride.

"When tea is harvested, these older leaves may be used to produce lower quality, stronger teas such as economy teas, whereas the bud and newer top leaves are used in the manufacture of higher grade and speciality teas.

"Although fluoride is considered an essential micro-nutrient for human health, in the prevention of tooth decay and promotion of healthy bone growth, excess fluoride in the diet can have detrimental effects.

"Dental fluorosis, the mottling of tooth enamel, and skeletal fluorosis, pain and damage to bones and joints through calcification, have occurred in the UK and America.

"All tea products should be considered as a main source of fluoride in the diet and we urge supermarkets and manufacturers of tea to consider stating fluoride concentration as part of the nutritional information found on food packaging."

SOURCE:
http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/drink ... z2a2RdaUgs

SEE STUDY:
Chan L, Mehra A, Saikat S, Lynch P - "Human exposure assessment of fluoride from tea (Camellia sinensis L.): A UK based issue?" Food Research International 51 (2) 564-570 (2013)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 6913000446
Last edited by pfpcnews on Mon Nov 30, 2020 4:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
wendy
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:51 am

Bone Disease from Fluoride in Tea

Post by wendy »

Hallanger Johnson JE, Kearns AE, Doran PM, Khoo TK, Wermers RA - "Fluoride-related bone disease associated with habitual tea consumption" Mayo Clin Proc. 82(6):719-24 (2007) Erratum in: Mayo Clin Proc. 2007 Aug;82(8):1017. Dosage error in article text. PMID: 17550752
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17550752/

Abstract
Acquired osteosclerosis is a rare disorder of bone formation but an important consideration in adults with sclerotic bones or elevated bone density results. In such patients, malignancy, hepatitis C, and fluorosis should all be considered when making a diagnosis. We describe 4 patients evaluated at our Metabolic Bone Disease Clinic from May 1, 1997, to July 1, 2006, whose bone disorders resulted from chronic fluoride exposure due to excessive tea intake. Three of these patients had toxic serum fluoride levels (> 15 micromol/L). Although the clinical presentation of the patients varied, all 4 had an unexpectedly elevated spine bone mineral density that was proportionately higher than the bone mineral density at the hip. Other clinical features included gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and weight loss; lower extremity pain sometimes associated with stress fractures of the lower extremities; renal insufficiency; and elevated alkaline phosphatase levels. Readily available, tea often contains high levels of fluoride. Obsessive-compulsive drinking behaviors and renal insufficiency may predispose to excessive fluoride consumption and accumulation. The current cases show that fluoride-related bone disease is an important clinical consideration in patients with dense bones or gastrointestinal symptoms and a history of excessive tea consumption. Furthermore, fluoride excess should be considered in all patients with a history of excessive tea consumption, especially due to its insidious nature and nonspecific clinical presentation.
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