How does tea impact cardiovascular health. What types of tea are most beneficial for the heart. Can drinking tea regularly improve heart function. Which compounds in tea support heart health. Is tea a natural way to lower risk of heart disease.

The Heart: A Vital Organ Deserving Our Attention

The human heart, despite its modest size and weight, plays an indispensable role in our survival. This remarkable organ beats approximately 100,000 times a day, pumping oxygen-rich blood throughout our bodies and removing waste products like carbon dioxide. Given its critical function, it’s no surprise that heart disease remains the leading cause of death across various demographic groups in the United States.

While the heart typically operates without conscious effort, its health requires our active care and attention. Factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management significantly influence cardiovascular well-being. Among the various strategies to support heart health, one stands out for its simplicity and enjoyment: drinking tea.

The Heart-Healthy Benefits of Tea Consumption

Both traditional and herbal teas offer substantial benefits for cardiovascular health. Regular tea consumption has been linked to improved heart function and a reduced risk of heart disease. But what makes tea so beneficial for our hearts?

• Antioxidants: Tea is rich in flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that help protect the heart.
• Anti-inflammatory properties: Many teas can help reduce inflammation in the body, including the cardiovascular system.
• Stress reduction: The act of drinking tea itself can be calming, potentially lowering stress levels that impact heart health.
• Blood pressure regulation: Some teas have been shown to help maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

Traditional Teas: Camellia Sinensis Varieties

Traditional teas, all derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, include green, white, oolong, black, and puerh varieties. Each of these teas contains unique compounds that contribute to heart health:

• Catechins: Abundant in green tea, these antioxidants may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Theaflavins and Thearubigins: Found in black tea, these compounds may help lower cholesterol levels.
• L-theanine: Present in all true teas, this amino acid can help reduce stress and promote relaxation.

Herbal Teas: Nature’s Heart-Healthy Elixirs

While traditional teas offer numerous benefits, herbal teas also play a significant role in supporting cardiovascular health. Many herbal blends incorporate botanicals specifically chosen for their heart-boosting properties.

Spotlight on Immortal Tea

One notable herbal blend for heart health is “Immortal Tea,” which combines peppermint with two powerful adaptogens: ginseng and jiaogulan.

Ginseng, a well-known adaptogen, has been studied extensively for its potential cardiovascular benefits. While research is ongoing, ginseng shows promise in:

• Reducing inflammation
• Lowering blood sugar
• Improving cognitive function
• Supporting overall heart health

Jiaogulan, often called the “herb of immortality,” is less familiar to many but equally impressive in its potential heart benefits. This adaptogen may:

• Help reduce inflammation
• Mitigate stress-related changes in blood pressure
• Decrease total cholesterol while increasing “good” HDL cholesterol

The Role of Flavonoids in Heart Health

Flavonoids, a class of antioxidants found abundantly in tea, play a crucial role in supporting cardiovascular health. But how exactly do these compounds benefit the heart?

• Reduce inflammation: Chronic inflammation is a known risk factor for heart disease. Flavonoids help combat this by reducing inflammatory markers in the body.
• Improve blood vessel function: These compounds can enhance the flexibility and health of blood vessels, promoting better circulation.
• Lower blood pressure: Some flavonoids have been shown to help regulate blood pressure, a key factor in heart health.
• Protect against oxidative stress: By neutralizing harmful free radicals, flavonoids help prevent damage to heart tissues.

Flavonoid Content in Different Tea Types

While all teas contain flavonoids, the specific types and amounts can vary:

• Green tea: High in catechins, particularly EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate)
• Black tea: Rich in theaflavins and thearubigins
• Oolong tea: Contains a mix of catechins and theaflavins
• White tea: High in catechins, with minimal processing preserving these compounds

Incorporating Heart-Healthy Teas into Your Daily Routine

Making tea a regular part of your daily routine can be a simple yet effective way to support your heart health. Here are some tips for maximizing the benefits:

1. Aim for consistency: Try to drink tea regularly, rather than sporadically.
2. Vary your tea choices: Rotate between different types of tea to benefit from a range of compounds.
3. Choose quality teas: Opt for loose-leaf teas or high-quality tea bags to ensure maximum flavor and health benefits.
4. Be mindful of additives: Limit sugar and cream, which can negate some of tea’s health benefits.
5. Time your tea consumption: Some people find that drinking tea in the afternoon helps them reduce caffeine intake later in the day, potentially improving sleep quality.

Tea and Heart Health: What the Research Says

Numerous studies have explored the relationship between tea consumption and cardiovascular health. While more research is always needed, the existing evidence is promising:

• A 2020 study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that habitual tea drinkers had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.
• Research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2019 suggested that regular tea consumption was associated with a reduced risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
• A meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Epidemiology in 2015 found that drinking three or more cups of tea per day was associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

It’s important to note that while these studies show correlation, they don’t necessarily prove causation. However, the consistent findings across multiple studies provide strong support for tea’s potential heart health benefits.

Potential Mechanisms of Action

Researchers have proposed several ways in which tea might benefit heart health:

• Improving endothelial function: Tea may help the inner lining of blood vessels function better, promoting healthy circulation.
• Reducing inflammation: The anti-inflammatory properties of tea compounds may help protect against heart disease.
• Modulating lipid metabolism: Some studies suggest tea may help regulate cholesterol levels.
• Antioxidant effects: Tea’s rich antioxidant content may protect heart tissues from oxidative stress.

Beyond the Cup: Other Lifestyle Factors for Heart Health

While incorporating heart-healthy teas into your diet can be beneficial, it’s important to remember that cardiovascular health is influenced by a variety of factors. To maximize the benefits of tea consumption, consider these additional lifestyle strategies:

1. Regular physical activity: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
2. Balanced diet: Focus on whole foods, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
3. Stress management: Practice techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to reduce stress levels.
4. Adequate sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
5. Regular check-ups: Keep up with regular medical check-ups and screenings to monitor your heart health.

The Mediterranean Diet and Tea

The Mediterranean diet, known for its heart-healthy benefits, pairs well with regular tea consumption. This dietary pattern emphasizes:

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Healthy fats like olive oil and nuts
• Moderate consumption of fish and poultry
• Limited red meat intake

Adding tea to this already heart-healthy diet may provide additional cardiovascular benefits.

Potential Risks and Considerations

While tea is generally safe and beneficial for most people, there are some considerations to keep in mind:

• Caffeine sensitivity: Some individuals may be sensitive to caffeine, which is present in traditional teas. Herbal teas are typically caffeine-free and may be a better option for these individuals.
• Interactions with medications: Certain compounds in tea may interact with some medications. For example, green tea can interfere with the absorption of iron supplements.
• Tannins and iron absorption: The tannins in tea can inhibit iron absorption. If you have iron deficiency, consider drinking tea between meals rather than with meals.
• Quality and sourcing: Ensure you’re purchasing tea from reputable sources to avoid potential contaminants.

As with any significant change to your diet or lifestyle, it’s always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional, especially if you have existing health conditions or are taking medications.

The Future of Tea and Heart Health Research

As our understanding of nutrition and health continues to evolve, so does the research on tea and its impact on cardiovascular health. Several exciting areas of ongoing and future research include:

• Long-term studies: Researchers are conducting more longitudinal studies to better understand the long-term effects of regular tea consumption on heart health.
• Genetic factors: Scientists are exploring how individual genetic differences might influence the heart health benefits of tea consumption.
• Synergistic effects: Studies are investigating how tea compounds might work in combination with other nutrients or lifestyle factors to promote heart health.
• Novel tea compounds: Researchers continue to identify and study new compounds in tea that may have cardiovascular benefits.
• Personalized nutrition: As the field of personalized nutrition advances, we may gain insights into how to tailor tea consumption for optimal heart health based on individual factors.

These ongoing research efforts promise to deepen our understanding of tea’s role in promoting cardiovascular health and may lead to more targeted recommendations in the future.

Emerging Tea Trends and Heart Health

As interest in tea and its health benefits grows, several trends are emerging that may impact how we consume tea for heart health:

• Functional tea blends: Teas specifically formulated to support heart health, combining traditional teas with heart-healthy herbs and botanicals.
• Cold brew teas: This brewing method may preserve more of the beneficial compounds in tea.
• Matcha: This powdered green tea, consumed in its entirety, provides a concentrated source of beneficial compounds.
• Tea-based supplements: Extracts and concentrates of tea compounds are being developed for those who may not enjoy drinking tea.

While these trends offer exciting possibilities, it’s important to remember that whole, minimally processed teas remain a reliable and time-tested option for supporting heart health.

Both traditional and herbal teas support the heart

Enhancing heart health is one of the smartest activities we can pursue. Heart disease, after all, is the leading cause of death for men and women, regardless of racial and ethnic groups, in the United States.

The fist-sized, four-chambered organ, weighing less than a pound, beats about 100,000 times a day, delivering 8 pints of oxygen-rich and nutrient-dense blood to organs and tissues. It also hauls away some of the body’s waste, in the form of carbon dioxide, which is a waste product of metabolism. When the heart stops pumping, the body’s circulatory system — the heart, blood, arteries, capillaries and veins — shuts down and life ends. 

Fortunately, for most of us the heart does its vital thing without us even thinking about it there in our chests, expanding and contracting 100 times or so every minute. But that doesn’t mean we don’t need to take care of our hearts. As we know, sometimes the heart just gives up, long before the rest of the body is prepared say goodbye to tactile life on Earth. And in many cases, its cessation results from things like poor diets, lack of exercise, stress and other factors over which humans have control.

Tea boosts heart health

Naturally, we endorse engaging with all of the things that boost the heart’s vigor. And that includes drinking teas for heart health. 

Many of Ku Cha’s herbal tea blends contain botanicals that help hearts thrive. But compounds found within Camellia sinensis, the genus and species that contains the many varieties of traditional tea — green, white, oolong, black and puerh — also lend the heart a hand during its 24/7 workouts.

As the days shorten and temperatures dip colder, many of us ratchet-back the heart-healthy exercise regimes. At the same time, we eat more artery-clogging comfort food — hello, grilled cheese and creamy tomato soup — and enter a five-week binge-fest spanning Thanksgiving (mmm, gravy), Christmas (those tins of cookies vanish fast) and New Year’s Eve (hello, hangover).  

It’s got to stand as the heart’s most challenging season. We suggest savoring it all, but paying close attention hearts along the way. Incorporating heart-supporting teas into daily routines serves as one fantastic, and tasty, strategy.

Teas for Heart Health: Immortal Tea

Immortal Tea turns to a pair of adaptogens for its heart healthiness.

The strong peppermint profile in this blend decorates the flavor with its cool, zippy notes. But it also balances the bitterness from the tea’s other two ingredients, both of which are powerful heart helpers, and central to our decision to name this custom blend “Immortal Tea”: ginseng and jiaogulan.

Ginseng, a plant native to both parts of Asia and North America from which herbalists harvest the root, is an adaptogen, a kind of botanical that supports the body as it wrestles with stress, anxiety, fatigue and overall wellbeing. Other adaptogens include ashwagandha, eleuthero and rhodiola.

Researchers have studied ginseng for years, evaluating its effectiveness for everything from treating inflammation to lowering blood sugar, preventing the flu and sharpening cognitive function. The root’s relationship to the human heart, too, has received a good deal of attention. While research doesn’t conclusively support the notion that taking ginseng strengthens hearts, it doesn’t rule it out, either. Its potential health advantages look promising.

Many people have heard of ginseng; during the past 20 years in the United States, supplements and beverage manufacturers have spotlighted the root. But comparatively few have encountered jiaogulan (also known as Miracle Plant, “herb of immortality” and Gynostemma), an adaptogen native to China. People use the leaves of this vine, which belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family of gourds and squash (cucumbers reside in the family), to brew healthy teas, craft tinctures and incorporate into supplements. 

This is one powerful adaptogen. People across China routinely add it to their health regimes, especially in the mountainous region of Guizhou, which supports an unusually high number of citizens who live past age 100.

Its heart benefits could revolve around its ability to help reduce inflammation, as well as the way it can mitigate effects of stress, such as changes in blood pressure. Probably the most important part of jiaogulan is its wealth of compounds called saponins, which bind to reduce cholesterol. Some evidence suggests that jiaogulan can decrease total cholesterol while increasing the “good” kind of cholesterol, called high-density lipoprotein or HDL.

Teas for Heart Health: China Rose

China Rose combines black tea and rose petals for hearth health.

Antioxidants called flavonoids explain black tea’s ability to improve heart health. Researchers believe that flavonoids help reduce factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol, elevated triglyceride levels, high blood pressure and obesity.

For example, one large study reported that daily tea drinkers experienced an 8% reduced risk of heart disease, and a 10% reduced risk for traumatic cardiac events. Another study concluded that drinking black tea significantly reduced LDL cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol. In addition, a review of scientific literature exploring the effects of drinking tea on people suffering from hypertension found that tea lowered their systolic blood pressure.

Our beautiful tea China Rose combines superb black tea with another heart helper — rose petals. The combination yields ambrosial flavors, as well as heart enhancements. That’s a great two-for-one deal!

Teas for Heart Health: Tibetan Tea

Tibetans sip Tibetan Tea all day, which supplements their meat-heavy diet.

Relatively few people outside of Tibet have tried Tibetan Tea. As with puerh, tea farmers harvest leaves — an in the case of Tibetan Tea, twigs as well — and then allow it all to undergo fermentation. Eventually, they form the fermented mass of tea vegetation into bricks, which can be aged — flavors ripen and gain complexity over time. The tea is essential for the Tibetan people, who sip it all day (normally spiked with butter) to provide energy and important vitamins and nutrients to supplement their traditional meat-based diet.

“I’d rather live three days without food that living one day without tea,” goes an old Tibetan saying.

While the butter bit doesn’t support heart vitality, compounds found in the fermented tea serve as excellent aids to the organ. One study, for example, found that Tibetan Tea offers five phenolic components, and one of them, gallic acid (GA), delivers especially potent antioxidant effects, along with an additional four catechins and other phenolic compounds.  

As with all black tea, Tibetan Tea also contains a wealth of polyphenols, which research reveals can promote circulation, improve blood vessel health and manage blood pressure levels. Polyphenols also reduce chronic inflammation, which is another major risk factor for heart disease.

Most of us drink traditional tea because we adore the flavor, and its ability to stimulate conversation and creativity. We turn to many herbal teas for the same effects, and more, such as sleep and serenity. But tea’s advantages extend beyond flavor and effects. It’s also healthy — including for the foundations of our lives, our hearts.

Drinking Tea Can Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke

Share on PinterestResearchers say people who drink green or black tea at least three times a week get the benefits of polyphenols that can improve cardiovascular health. Getty Images

• New research shows improved cardiovascular health among people who drink tea three or more times per week.
• The health benefits are attributable to polyphenols, a compound found in black and green tea along with other foods.
• The benefits were most pronounced among drinkers of green tea, and also for men rather than women.

A cup a day could help keep the doctor away — and increase your lifespan.

That’s according to research published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

In it, researchers suggest that drinking tea three or more times a week can lead to improved cardiovascular health and a longer life.

In their large-scale, long-term study, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing tracked 100,902 participants with no prior history of heart attack, stroke, or cancer.

This group was split into two cohorts: those who drank tea three or more times a week and those who didn’t.

After follow-ups for a median time of 7.3 years, researchers determined that those who drank tea more frequently were more likely to stay healthy for a longer period of time.

Habitual tea drinkers were found to be 20 percent less likely to develop heart disease and stroke, 22 percent less likely to die from heart disease and stroke, and 15 percent less likely to die of other causes.

A subset of slightly more than 14,000 people was also assessed in a follow-up study.

Those who kept their tea-drinking habit in both studies saw more pronounced benefits, including a 56 percent lower risk of fatal heart disease and stroke.

Some experts quoted on the website of the Science Media Centre point out that this research was an observational study and doesn’t necessarily establish a link between tea drinking and cardiovascular health and longevity.

Experts say the health benefits seen in habitual tea drinkers might be attributed to polyphenols — organic chemicals that are found in both black and green tea.

“Polyphenols are derived from plants, especially flowering plants,” Dr. Satjit Bhusri, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, told Healthline. “The ‘phenol’ part of polyphenols are where the plants and flowers derive their scent or aroma.”

Dr. Guy L. Mintz, director of cardiovascular health and lipidology at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in New York, told Healthline that polyphenols are known to have cardiovascular benefits.

“These benefits include improvement in function of the blood vessels, more dilating and less constriction,” he said. “These compounds can also increase good cholesterol, which is also cardiac protective. These compounds also have a reduction in inflammation and makes our platelets, clotting factor, less sticky.”

All of this combines to make a chemical that’s a known booster of cardiovascular health.

Experts point out that because polyphenols are not retained in the body for long, it stands to reason that frequent, ongoing tea consumption is necessary to see the benefits.

It’s worth noting that the benefits vary depending on the type of tea.

While both black and green tea contain polyphenols, the differences may be more pronounced among drinkers of green tea.

This could be because the fermentation process that goes into creating black tea might dilute the effectiveness of polyphenols. There’s also the fact that black tea is often served, and diluted, with milk.

Dr. Dongfeng Gu, PhD, a senior study author and professor of epidemiology and medical genetics at the Chinese Academy, noted that the preferences of research participants skewed heavily toward green tea.

“In our study population, 49 percent of habitual tea drinkers consumed green tea most frequently, while only 8 percent preferred black tea,” Gu wrote in a release. “The small proportion of habitual black tea drinkers might make it more difficult to observe robust associations, but our findings hint at a differential effect between tea types.”

Another wrinkle to consider is that health benefits were more pronounced in men than in women.

Researchers said this could be attributable to the lower incidence of heart disease and stroke in women.

There’s also more data on men who frequently drink tea as 48 percent of men and only 20 percent of women were identified as habitual tea drinkers.

The authors say their research is ongoing and should yield more findings as more data is gathered.

Non-tea drinkers can probably adjust their lifestyle to include three or more cups per week into their routine.

But for those who don’t drink green tea, there are other ways to get these benefits.

Polyphenols can also be found in foods such as red wine, dark chocolate and berries. Supplements containing synthetic polyphenols can also be found, but they’re not as beneficial as the real thing.

“The message from this study is loud and clear: Tea, particularly green tea, is cardio protective, and should be considered as another tool in the cardiac prevention toolbox,” said Mintz. “Maybe we should listen to the advice the hare offers to Alice in ‘Alice in Wonderland’: ‘Take more tea!’”

The doctor named five main drinks for heart health – Moscow 24, 05/14/2022

May 14, 2022, 08:35

Society

Photo: Depositphotos/Belchonock

For heart health, you should drink cocoa, green tea, coffee, broth, decoction rose hips and beetroot juice. Moscow 24 was told about this by a nutritionist, candidate of biological sciences Alexander Miroshnikov.

According to the specialist, cocoa contains potassium and magnesium, which are responsible for good heart function.

It is magnesium and potassium that reduce blood pressure… Therefore, drink a cup of cocoa every morning and your heart will receive these trace elements.

Alexander Miroshnikov

nutritionist, candidate of biological sciences

Cocoa also contains theobromine alkaloid, which is slightly weaker than caffeine, but still excites the nervous system. Therefore, it is advisable to drink this drink in the morning, the expert advised. “Otherwise, people who are sensitive to caffeine alkaloids will practically not be able to fall asleep,” Miroshnikov said in an interview with the Doctor 24 program.

You can also drink green tea in the morning. According to the nutritionist, it contains epigallocatechin gallate, which strengthens blood vessels. A specialist advises to consume no more than 2-3 cups per day.

Coffee can also benefit the body. Many studies have shown that people who drink 2-3 cups of this drink are 20% less likely to suffer from heart defects, the expert says. Thanks to other research work, it was possible to find out that 2-3 cups of coffee a day reduce the deposition of calcium in the vessels, Miroshnikov continues.

The heart is the same muscle, it starts to train. What happens when you drink coffee? It beats faster, that is, we train our heart.

Alexander Miroshnikov

nutritionist, candidate of biological sciences

However, you should not drink coffee with hypertension, the nutritionist specified. You can replace it with green tea, and cocoa is better. Theobromine contained in the latter does not increase blood pressure so much, the expert explains.

Rosehip decoction is also good for the heart. It contains a large amount of vitamin C, which strengthens blood vessels and helps fight blood clots, the specialist says. Miroshnikov recommends drinking the decoction immediately after brewing.

“In no case do we leave it for a day or two. Vitamin C is destroyed. Therefore, we brewed it and drank it. If you have heart problems or just love your heart, drink at least a glass of brewed rose hips every day,” the expert advises.

Beetroot and beetroot juice will strengthen our heart twice. The fact is that beets contain nitric oxide NO2, which dilates our blood vessels and helps the heart breathe. The heart from beet juice begins to breathe.

Alexander Miroshnikov

nutritionist, candidate of biological sciences

In addition, beetroot juice contains the substance betaine. Researchers have noticed that it is it that lowers the level of homocysteine ​​in the body, the expert explains. Homocysteine ​​is an amino acid that is fixed during vascular injury, the specialist said.

According to Miroshnikov, if a person already has problems with blood vessels, the level of homocysteine ​​in the blood can be very high. “As soon as a person begins to consume betaine or beetroot juice, the level of homocysteine ​​drops. This indicates that the vessels begin to heal,” the specialist concluded.

Earlier, a cardiologist, Honored Doctor of Russia Yuri Serebryansky said that the consumption of sweet, salty, and fatty dairy products negatively affects heart health. In addition, the specialist warned about the dangers of coffee. With the abuse of this drink, blood pressure rises, the cardiologist recalled.

Medvedeva Svetlana

societyexclusive

More news in the telegram channel Moscow 24 Subscribe!

Media news2

Tea drinking linked to lower risk of heart disease

and also live longer than those who drink tea rarely or not at all. The correlation found, however, is stronger for men than women and for green tea drinkers rather than black tea drinkers. In addition, drinking tea, apparently, is necessary not only regularly, but also for a long time – at least for eight years. The study was published in the journal European Journal of Preventive Cardiology .

Tea is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which come from its antioxidant flavonoids. They neutralize the action of reactive oxygen species released by immune cells during inflammation, and thereby reduce the amount of tissue damage. At the same time, antioxidants can also work inside cells, suppressing oxidative stress in them. Therefore, tea, along with other sources of antioxidants, is considered a possible means of extending the life of humans and animals – or at least getting rid of age-related diseases.

The results of studies on the possible beneficial effects of tea on life, however, are inconsistent: in some studies they are not connected at all, in others tea consumption is correlated with good health, but not with a long life. At the same time, it is known that excessive consumption of antioxidants can also lead to the opposite effect – increase the risk of premature death.

A team of researchers from the Beijing Unified Medical College led by Dongfeng Gu made another attempt to understand how tea affects people’s health. To do this, scientists took a sample of 100902 Chinese people aged 16-74 who had no previous history of heart disease or cancer and had their health monitored for several years (about seven on average).

The amount of tea consumed was assessed by scientists using questionnaires, while only Chinese tea (from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis ) was taken into account, regardless of the type of preparation and strength of the drink. The study participants were divided into two groups: those who rarely or never drink tea (up to three cups per week), and those who drink tea (three or more cups per week). The latter turned out to be only 31.6 percent, and more often they were smoking men who drank alcohol. Among them, almost half were green tea drinkers, eight percent drank black tea, and 43 percent drank flavored teas.

When calculating the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, the researchers took into account gender, age, region of residence, place of residence (urban or rural), level of education, family history of diseases, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, type of diet, body mass index and condition of cardio-vascular system. Taking into account all these factors, people who drank tea regularly, the risk of developing atherosclerosis, stroke and coronary heart disease was about 20 percent lower than those who rarely or never drank tea.

The risk of death among tea drinkers was 15 percent lower, and on average they developed cardiovascular diseases later: for example, atherosclerosis by 1.41 years. As a result, life expectancy at age 50 increased by 1.26 years.

Dividing the sample into subgroups, the researchers found that the effect of tea depends on many factors. For example, the correlations were strongest in men, while in women the risk of only atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease was significantly reduced, but not of stroke or death.