Elderly people love to drink tea. Which is healthier, strong tea or weak tea?

Mr. Zhang, who is in his 60s, told Huazi that he suddenly had severe pain in his right waist last month, and the pain made him break out in cold sweats. After going to the hospital for examination, a stone about 0.8 cm in size was found in the right ureter, and there were multiple stones in both kidneys. After lithotripsy treatment, Mr. Zhang's pain symptoms were relieved.

Mr. Zhang is a tea lover, but after the doctor asked him about his lifestyle, he told him that it would be best not to drink tea in the future, as his stones were probably caused by drinking tea. Mr. Zhang complained to Huazi, saying that everyone said that drinking tea can improve health, so why didn't the doctor allow him to drink it?

1. Strong tea can induce kidney stones

Huazi told Mr. Zhang that it is not that he cannot drink tea at all, but that he cannot drink strong tea. 70% to 80% of kidney stones are calcium oxalate stones . Oxalic acid is easily soluble in water, but after combining with calcium to form calcium oxalate, it becomes an insoluble substance.

Tea contains oxalic acid . If you drink strong tea for a long time, the more oxalic acid you ingest will combine with calcium in the body to form insoluble calcium oxalate. When the kidneys concentrate urine, calcium oxalate crystals may precipitate and even form stones.

Stones in the kidneys usually have no symptoms, but once the stones block the entrance to the ureter or enter the ureter, they will cause obstruction of the urine outflow channel, causing hydronephrosis and pain. If not treated in time, it may lead to renal failure.

2. Light tea can prevent stones

However, the oxalic acid content in tea is not high, so it is not easy to induce stones as long as you do not drink strong tea for a long time. On the contrary, if you drink light tea, it can also prevent stones .

Because the oxalic acid content in light tea is less, less calcium oxalate is formed. Drinking light tea is equivalent to drinking water. A large amount of water will dilute the urine, making it difficult for calcium oxalate crystals to precipitate.

At the same time, the caffeine contained in tea also has a certain diuretic effect, which can promote urination. Increased urination is not easy to form stones, and it can also dissolve the precipitated calcium oxalate crystals, which can reduce the incidence of stones.

3. Drinking light tea regularly is healthier

Many people believe that drinking tea can improve health, and strong tea has more nutrients and better health effects. But in fact, strong tea is not good for human health . It can not only easily induce urinary stones, but also have adverse effects on digestion, nerves, cardiovascular and other systems.

Theophylline and caffeine in strong tea can stimulate the secretion of gastric juice and increase the risk of gastric mucosal damage. They can also stimulate the central nervous system , causing over-excitement of the brain and causing insomnia. They can stimulate the sympathetic nerves and cause the heart rate to increase. For those with high blood pressure and heart disease, drinking strong tea may make their condition worse.

Tea contains tannins, which form insoluble complexes with metal ions . Drinking a lot of strong tea will hinder the absorption of metal ions such as calcium and iron, causing osteoporosis, anemia and other diseases. Most drugs contain metal ions, and if taken with tea, the efficacy of the drugs will be reduced .

In traditional medicine, many substances are "medicine in moderation, poison in excess", and the same is true for tea. Drinking strong tea for a long time and in large quantities will have adverse effects on the body, while drinking light tea is healthier . However, when taking medicine, strong tea or light tea is not recommended, and boiled water is the "best choice" when taking medicine .

In summary, China has a long-standing tea culture. Drinking tea has the function of health preservation, but it should be noted that long-term and large-scale drinking of strong tea will have adverse effects on health. It is not only easy to induce kidney stones, but also affects the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, digestive system and other systems, and also interferes with the absorption of metal trace elements and drugs. In comparison, light tea is more beneficial to the human body. However, when taking medicine, boiled water is the best choice. I am pharmacist Huazi. Welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.