Scientists verging on 'optimal dose' for tea drinkers as study reveals potential vascular disease benefits

Scientists verging on 'optimal dose' for tea drinkers as study reveals potential vascular disease benefits Researchers investigating the relationship between tea drinking and vascular disease have discovered the beverage could potentially reduce the risk by up to 11 percent Brits are partial to a cuppa are reaping heart health benefits, it has been concluded, with scientists hopeful they can one day recommend an "optimal dose" to reduce the risk of a disease suffered by millions of people countrywide. Chinese researchers publishing a new study in the Journal of Internal Medicine said they found cups of tea reduced the risk of vascular disease (VD) by up to 11 percent among regular drinkers. They found just 14,863 cases among a group of nearly 500,000, with different habits having varying impacts on the incidence of VD, which is caused by inflammation and weakness of the veins and arteries. But British heart experts have urged the public to take the news with a grain of salt, saying it could be other factors that helped study participants keep the condition at bay. The researchers analysed data from 485,934 Chinese adults aged between 30 and 79 who varied in their tea-brewing methods and number of brews drunk per day - with some drinking nearly 40 cups per day. In the study, during a typical follow-up of nine years, there were 14,863 cases of VD among the group. The findings suggested moderate-strength tea was associated with lower risk, while "burning hot" tea may be associated with higher VD risk. The lowest estimated risk was approximately six to eight cups per day among weekly tea drinkers (who typically had 2.78 cups per day). The researchers discovered that tea consumption was, however, mostly associated with the lowest risk when combined with not smoking and exercise. Dell Stanford, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said tea drinkers should not assume a daily cup of tea is enough to protect the heart. He said: "People who regularly drank tea in this study had around an 11% lower relative risk of vascular disease, adding to evidence linking tea drinking with better cardiovascular health. But this doesn't prove that a daily cuppa protects your heart. This was an observational study and other differences in people's diets and lifestyles could help explain the findings. "Although the lowest estimated risk was seen at around six to eight cups a day, we shouldn't treat that as a recommended amount. Tea intake was only measured once, cup size wasn't standardised and the study cannot prove that drinking more tea caused the lower risk." "Importantly, the findings point to the wider role of healthy lifestyle habits. The lowest risk was seen among people who drank tea, did not smoke and were physically active. "There's no single food or drink that will transform our heart health; our overall diet and lifestyle matter much more. Finally, because this research was carried out in China, we need further evidence before assuming the findings apply in the same way to people in the UK." Dr Charalampos Rallis, Reader in Genetics, Genomics and Fundamental Cell Biology, Queen Mary University of London, said the study misses some important factors. He said: “This large study adds to existing observational evidence linking regular tea drinking with lower cardiovascular risk. Tea drinkers differed from non-drinkers; however, the model is not fully adjusted for diet and income. "The reported risk reduction is relative, and the authors caution that the ‘6-8 cups a day’ should not be read as a recommended intake. The authors tested many comparisons and some of the more striking findings, such as those on black tea and ‘burning hot’ tea, should be treated as exploratory. "A clear message for the public is that avoiding smoking and maintaining an active lifestyle remain the most important lifestyle choices for heart health."