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Tea is a part of almost every elderly person's life, whether it is the first cup of tea in the morning, or a cup of strong tea in leisure time, tea has become a life companion for many people.
As we all know, tea has many benefits, such as clearing away heat and detoxifying, and refreshing the mind, but there are some recent research results that have shocked me, especially for the elderly over 60 years old.
Studies have shown that the prevalence of liver cancer is much higher among the elderly who drink tea every day, especially those who adhere to it for a long time, than those who do not drink tea, so what is going on?
As an experienced doctor, I have developed a strong interest in it, and I have recommended tea to patients in the past, but now it seems that many habits may not be as healthy as we think.
Perhaps, the seemingly simple habit of drinking tea, under certain conditions, has become a hidden danger to health, why does drinking tea cause liver cancer, and why is the elderly vulnerable to it? I'm afraid many people haven't thought deeply about these questions.
In this article, I will take you to explore in depth why the prevalence of liver cancer is higher in people over 60 years old, especially those who drink tea every day, than those who do not drink tea, and analyze the root causes of these phenomena through real cases and research data.
Perhaps, there are such people around you, and drinking tea seems to be their joy of life, but have you ever thought that this seemingly innocuous habit may cost them a lot?
Why does tea affect liver health?
When it comes to the benefits of drinking tea, you can definitely list a long list, such as tea can antioxidant, promote digestion, and enhance immunity...... There is nothing wrong with these, but some components in tea, long-term intake, especially excessive intake, may put a certain burden on the liver.
Studies have shown that tea contains a substance called "tea polyphenols", which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, but also has certain toxicity.
Long-term drinking of a large amount of tea, especially for the elderly over 60 years old, the body's metabolic function begins to decline, the liver's detoxification function is weakened, and excessive tea polyphenols accumulate in the body, which may cause liver cell damage and even liver cancer.
I came into contact with such a patient in the hospital, he was over 60 years old, he would drink several cups of strong tea every day, it almost became a habit, at first, he always felt that he was in good health, and the results of every examination were good.
However, slowly, he began to feel fatigue, lost his appetite, and his weight was constantly decreasing, and eventually, after a CT scan, I diagnosed him with liver cancer.
This patient's liver cancer progressed rapidly, and one of the possible reasons was that he drank too much tea for a long time, especially strong tea, which caused the liver to be overburdened.
The burden of tea polyphenols on the liver is not a short-term phenomenon, but a process of chronic accumulation.
For people over the age of 60, the liver's ability to repair itself is weakened, and long-term excessive intake of these ingredients may cause the liver to gradually mutate, and eventually it may develop into liver cancer.
Some heavy metal contaminants in tea, especially in improperly stored or substandard tea, may exacerbate this hazard.
How does excessive tea consumption damage the liver?
I once met a patient who was in his early 60s, had a relatively strong physique, and had always had a habit of drinking tea.
This patient not only drinks tea every day, but he especially likes strong tea, every time he boils tea, the amount of tea is always more than usual, he even feels that the stronger the tea, the more refreshing, the more it can clean up the "toxins" in the body, however, it is this habit of preferring strong tea that has led to serious damage to his liver.
Scientific studies have shown that the concentration of tea polyphenols, caffeine and other substances in strong tea is much higher than that of ordinary weak tea, and these components, especially caffeine, have an impact on the metabolism of the liver, and long-term excessive intake may exacerbate the stress on the liver.
Caffeine itself has a certain diuretic effect and can stimulate the kidneys to excrete urine, but it may also increase the burden on the liver to a certain extent, especially for those with underlying liver disease, excessive caffeine intake can increase the burden of liver detoxification and metabolism.
Studies have also pointed out that strong tea is rich in tannic acid and polyphenols, and long-term intake will cause certain damage to liver cells.
Especially for the elderly over 60 years old, the liver has gradually lost the strong repair ability of its youth, and these substances can accumulate in the liver and may lead to mutations in liver cells, which eventually induce liver cancer.
Negative effects of drinking tea on the liver
I have a male patient in his 60s who drinks at least three to four cups of strong tea a day, each with a large amount of leaves, and he believes that this will help him detoxify his regimen.
However, as he grew older and his physical condition deteriorated, especially when he felt tired, lost his appetite and gradually lost weight, he finally went to the hospital for a check-up, which resulted in a diagnosis of advanced liver cancer.
This disease progressed rapidly, and I judged that it was directly related to his long-term consumption of strong tea, and through liver biopsy and imaging examinations, it was found that his liver had obvious damage and mutations, and the patient's liver function indicators also showed that the liver damage had reached a severe level.
Although drinking tea can enhance the body's antioxidant capacity, excessive intake of tea polyphenols and caffeine far exceeds the liver's metabolic capacity, eventually causing irreversible damage.
This case made me realize more deeply that although tea drinking is a common health habit, it also needs to be adjusted according to the individual's physical condition and age, and excessive tea consumption, especially strong tea, may pose a potential threat to the body.
Although tea is a healthy drink, in the elderly group over 60 years old, especially those who are accustomed to drinking a lot of tea every day, the burden on the liver is already relatively heavy, and some components in tea may cause liver damage and even increase the risk of liver cancer if consumed in excess.
As a doctor, my advice is: for older people, tea should be drunk in moderation, preferably light tea, avoid strong tea, and especially avoid drinking tea for a long time and continuously.
If you find that you have symptoms such as loss of appetite and fatigue, it is important to seek medical attention in time and have a comprehensive check-up, a healthy diet and lifestyle are far more important than our over-reliance on a certain food or drink, and over-reliance on any single food may bring hidden dangers to the body.
Therefore, long-term tea drinking, especially excessive consumption of strong tea, although it may not be much of a problem in the short term, for older people, the burden on the liver may have quietly accumulated, eventually posing a threat to health.
Everyone should drink tea reasonably according to their physique, age and lifestyle, and do it in moderation in order to truly enjoy the health benefits brought by tea.
The above content is for reference only, if you feel unwell, please consult a professional doctor in time
What do you think about liver cancer? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!
Resources:
[1] Ma Yao, Li Ting, Zhang Qiushi, et al.Construction and validation of risk prediction model for postoperative delirium in patients over 60 years of age[J].Journal of Clinical Hepatobiliary Diseases2024-09-25.