Scientists have determined when tea and coffee increase the risk of cancer development

Regular consumption of more than eight cups of very hot tea or coffee per day may significantly increase the risk of stomach cancer, Chinese scientists have found. The study showed that the danger is associated not only with the quantity of beverages but also with their temperature.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to the journal Food & Function, the conclusions were made by specialists from the Capital Medical University of China based on data from the large-scale UK Biobank project.

The study involved more than 328 thousand people whose health conditions were monitored for almost 12 years. Scientists analyzed the volume of tea and coffee consumption, as well as their temperature - from warm to very hot.

The results showed that people who daily drank more than eight cups of hot beverages had a 54% higher risk of developing stomach cancer compared to those who consumed them less frequently or preferred beverages of moderate temperature. Moreover, for lovers of particularly very hot tea or coffee, the probability of disease increased more than twofold with the same consumption volume.

It is noted that the identified connection persisted even after accounting for age, lifestyle, smoking, and other risk factors. According to scientists, the cause may be chronic thermal irritation of the stomach lining, which leads to inflammation and tissue damage.

Researchers emphasize that the obtained data point to a simple prevention method - allowing tea and coffee to cool slightly before consumption, especially with regular and abundant intake.