Regular tea drinking is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a Chinese study has suggested, but it remains unclear whether the drink itself is the cause.
The researchers found that habitual tea drinkers had an 11% lower relative risk of vascular disease than people who drank tea less frequently or never.
The link was stronger for some outcomes, including ischaemic stroke. Findings also varied according to tea type (black or green), strength and temperature.
The study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, adds to evidence linking tea consumption with cardiovascular health, but as an observational study it cannot establish that drinking tea is protective.
What did the researchers do?
Dr Zichen Ye, researcher at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, and colleagues analysed data from 485,934 adults aged 30 to 79 years in the China Kadoorie Biobank.
Participants were recruited between 2004 and 2008 and followed for nine years. People with a history of major chronic diseases, including heart disease and stroke were excluded.
