Study Finds Regular Tea Drinking Linked to Lower Vascular Disease Risk

Regular Tea Drinking Lowers Vascular Disease Risk in New Observational Study

People who regularly drink tea have an estimated 11 percent lower relative risk of developing vascular disease, according to a large observational study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. Researchers in China evaluated health data from 485,934 participants to examine the connection between tea consumption and conditions such as heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, pulmonary heart disease, and peripheral artery disease.

During a typical follow-up period of nine years, the study tracked 14,863 cases of vascular disease among the participants. The findings indicate that moderate-strength tea is associated with a lower health risk, while consumption of burning hot tea may correlate with an elevated risk of vascular disease. The lowest estimated risk appeared among weekly tea drinkers who consumed approximately six to eight cups per day, compared to an average of 2.78 cups per day for weekly tea drinkers.

Cardiovascular Experts Question Direct Causation

British Heart Foundation senior dietitian Dell Stanford noted that the research adds to existing evidence linking tea drinking with better cardiovascular health, but emphasized that the work does not prove a daily cup of tea directly protects the heart. Stanford pointed out that because the project was an observational study, other dietary and lifestyle differences among participants could help explain the results.

“Although the lowest estimated risk was seen at around six to eight cups a day, we shouldn’t treat that as a recommended amount,” Stanford said. “Tea intake was only measured once, cup size wasn’t standardised and the study cannot prove that drinking more tea caused the lower risk.”

Experts in the United Kingdom also stressed that significantly more research is required before health authorities can issue recommendations regarding the optimal daily dose of tea. Because the study took place in China, researchers must gather further evidence to determine whether the findings apply similarly to populations in the UK.

Healthy Habits and Tea Lower Vascular Disease Risk

The study highlights the broader importance of healthy lifestyle habits alongside dietary choices. Researchers observed that the lowest overall risk of vascular disease occurred among individuals who drank tea, abstained from smoking, and maintained regular physical activity.

“Importantly, the findings point to the wider role of healthy lifestyle habits,” Stanford said. “There’s no single food or drink that will transform our heart health; our overall diet and lifestyle matter much more.”