The doctor told how much tea you can drink per day

The recommended daily intake of black or green tea for an adult is 2-4 cups per day. This beverage helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and the likelihood of death from various diseases, including cancer.

This was explained to gazeta.ru by gastroenterologist Darya Bogomolova.

Polyphenols — natural compounds found in tea — possess pronounced antioxidant properties. Their effects are considered a possible mechanism that helps protect human body cells from free radical damage, which contributes to reducing the development of chronic diseases. In addition, these substances help reduce the oxidation of "bad" cholesterol, which is considered one of the factors contributing to a lower risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. It is also noted that polyphenols may exhibit antitumor activity by affecting the cell cycle in cancer cells.

"Excess tea consumption, in turn, can lead to a number of negative health consequences. With regular excessive consumption of this beverage, the body receives a large amount of fluorides, which in some cases can contribute to the development of fluorosis — a condition in which teeth and bone tissue are affected, especially in regions with elevated fluoride levels in water. Tea also contains caffeine — an average of 30-50 mg per cup. When consuming more than 400 mg of caffeine, which corresponds to approximately 6-8 cups of tea, increased blood pressure, a sensation of rapid heartbeat, anxiety, insomnia, and heightened excitability may occur," the doctor reminded.

It is important to note that children are recommended to drink no more than 1-2 cups of tea per day to avoid the negative effects of caffeine. Pregnant women are advised to monitor their total caffeine intake from all sources, including tea, since excess of this substance is associated with an increased risk of fetal growth restriction and low birth weight. The safe limit for pregnant women is considered to be up to 200 mg of caffeine per day.

"As for herbal teas: they are infusions of various plants that differ significantly in composition and effects. Unlike black and green tea, most of them do not contain caffeine, so they can be used as an alternative when caffeine intake needs to be limited. It should be emphasized that there is no unified evidence base for herbal teas as a group: their effects and safety depend on the specific plant. When selecting an herbal tea, it is especially important to consider individual characteristics of the body, such as the presence of allergies or intolerances, in order to avoid negative health consequences," the expert emphasized.