Flavonoid-Rich Foods, Dementia Risk, and Interactions With Genetic Risk, Hypertension, and Depression

 Ask your competent? doctor and hospital EXACTLY WHEN THEY WILL KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNTS TO CONSUME. No answer, you don't have a functioning stroke doctor or hospital. I don't know what they are but they assuredly are not competent!  In my opinion competent doctors will be trying to solve stroke in any way possible and since dementia is a common result of stroke they should be solving that also!

Tell me how much red wine to drink daily and I gladly recruit friends to empty a bottle and they'll be glad to join me.

Flavonoid-Rich Foods, Dementia Risk, and Interactions With Genetic Risk, Hypertension, and Depression

Amy Jennings, PhD¹; Alysha S. Thompson, MSci¹; Anna Tresserra-Rimbau, PhD^1,2,3; et al Joshua K. O’Neill, MSci¹; Claire Hill, PhD¹; Nicola P. Bondonno, PhD^1,4,5; Tilman Kühn, PhD^1,6,7; Aedín Cassidy, PhD¹

Author Affiliations Article Information

JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(9):e2434136. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.34136

Key Points

Question  What is the association of a flavonoid-rich diet with dementia risk among UK adults?

Findings  In this cohort study of 121 986 UK Biobank participants, those with the highest adherence to a flavonoid-rich diet, specifically intakes of tea, red wine, and berries, had a lower risk of dementia. Reductions were more pronounced in participants with a high genetic risk, hypertension, and depressive symptoms.

Meaning  These findings suggest that increasing daily consumption of flavonoid-rich foods may lower dementia risk, especially in populations at high risk.

Abstract

Importance  A composite score of flavonoid-rich foods (flavodiet) may provide a clear public health message regarding the range of foods with the potential to lower dementia risk.

Objective  To examine associations of flavodiet score and intakes of flavonoid subclasses with dementia risk according to genetic risk and presence of depression and hypertension.

Design, Setting, and Participants  This prospective, population-based cohort study included dietary data from adults aged 40 to 70 years in the UK Biobank, recruited between 2006 and 2010, with a mean (SD) follow-up of 9.2 (1.5) years. The data analyses were conducted from September 1 to 30, 2023.

Exposure  Flavodiet score adherence and intake of flavonoid subclasses derived from 24-hour computerized dietary assessments.

Main Outcome and Measures  The main outcome was incident all-cause dementia and interactions with genetic risk, hypertension, and depressive symptoms using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results  The sample included 121 986 participants (mean [SD] age, 56.1 [7.8] years; 55.6% female; 882 with incident dementia). Comparing the highest with lowest quintile of flavodiet score, consuming 6 additional servings per day of flavonoid-rich foods was associated with a lower risk of dementia among all participants (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 0.72; 95% CI, 0.57-0.89), those at high genetic risk (AHR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.42-0.78), and those with depressive symptoms (AHR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.33-0.81) after multivariable adjustment. The greatest risk reduction was observed in participants consuming at least 2 of the following per day: 5 servings of tea, 1 serving of red wine, and 0.5 servings of berries, compared with those who did not achieve any of these intakes (AHR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.46-0.84). Higher intakes of flavonoid subclasses, including anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, and flavones, of which tea, red wine, and berries are the main contributors, supported these findings, showing inverse associations with dementia risk.

Conclusions and Relevance  In this cohort study, high adherence to a flavonoid-rich diet score was associated with a lower risk of dementia, with reductions more pronounced in individuals with a high genetic risk, hypertension, and depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that simple dietary changes of increasing intakes of commonly consumed flavonoid-rich foods and drinks may lower dementia risk.

Introduction

The worldwide prevalence of dementia continues to increase, with estimations of more than 50 million people living with dementia in 2020 and projections of 10 million new cases each year as population aging continues to accelerate.¹ Currently, there is no effective treatment for dementia, so preventive interventions to improve health and quality of life and reduce social and economic costs, currently estimated at £39.4 billion in the UK alone,² are a major public health priority.

While nonmodifiable risk factors, particularly age and genetics, contribute substantially to the development of dementia, evidence from cohort studies has shown that modifiable risk factors, such as diet, play an important role in prevention. Higher adherence to plant-based diets has been associated with a 21% lower risk of developing cognitive disorders and a 40% lower risk of Alzheimer disease,³ with diets rich in healthy plant-based foods showing the strongest associations with lower dementia risk.⁴ Flavonoids, a group of polyphenolic compounds found in plant-derived foods and beverages, such as fruits, vegetables, tea, red wine, and dark chocolate, have also been associated with a lower risk of dementia.^5,6 There is evidence that higher intakes of berries and tea specifically are associated with a lower risk of dementia and cognitive decline.^7-9 Mechanisms proposed for the neuroprotective influence of dietary flavonoids and their downstream metabolites include reducing neuroinflammation¹⁰; improving cerebrovascular blood flow, with many flavonoid metabolites able to permeate the blood-brain barrier and mediate the microbiome-gut-brain axis¹¹; and modulating major neuronal signal transduction pathways associated with synaptic plasticity.¹² Flavonoids have also been associated with risk factors for dementia, including hypertension and depression. Studies have reported inverse associations between flavonol, flavone, and flavanone intakes and depression risk.¹³ Furthermore, higher intakes of anthocyanins, polymers, and, specifically, the proanthocyanidin component of the flavan-3-ol polymer class have been associated with lower blood pressure.¹⁴

Identifying flavonoid-rich foods associated with improved health outcomes may aid in formulating dietary recommendations valuable for both intervention research and public health initiatives. As the major food sources of flavonoids are similar in different regions,^15,16 developing a composite score of flavonoid-rich foods may provide an opportunity to deliver a clear public health message on the range of foods with the potential to lower dementia risk.¹⁷

The aims of this study were therefore to investigate the associations between (1) our novel flavodiet score and (2) intakes of flavonoid subclasses and dementia risk. In addition, we examined these associations according to genetic risk for dementia and presence of depression and hypertension. We hypothesized that higher intakes of berries and tea and, subsequently, intakes of anthocyanins and flavan-3-ols would be associated with lower dementia risk.

More at link.

Tea consumption reduces the incidence of neurocognitive disorders: Findings from the Singapore longitudinal aging study

I don't like tea that much so I'm sticking to coffee as dementia prevention. 

Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Dementia Feb. 2013 

The latest here:

Tea consumption reduces the incidence of neurocognitive disorders: Findings from the Singapore longitudinal aging study

• L. Feng,
• M. -S. Chong,
• W. -S. Lim,
• Q. Gao,
• M. S. Z. Nyunt,
• T. -S. Lee,
• S. L. Collinson,
• T. Tsoi,
• E. -H. Kua &
• T. -P. Ng 

The journal of nutrition, health & aging volume 20, pages 1002–1009 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objectives

To examine the relationships between tea consumption habits and incident neurocognitive disorders (NCD) and explore potential effect modification by gender and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype.

Design

Population-based longitudinal study.

Setting

The Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study (SLAS).

Participants

957 community-living Chinese elderly who were cognitively intact at baseline.

Measurements

We collected tea consumption information at baseline from 2003 to 2005 and ascertained incident cases of neurocognitive disorders (NCD) from 2006 to 2010. Odds ratio (OR) of association were calculated in logistic regression models that adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

A total of 72 incident NCD cases were identified from the cohort. Tea intake was associated with lower risk of incident NCD, independent of other risk factors. Reduced NCD risk was observed for both green tea (OR=0.43) and black/oolong tea (OR=0.53) and appeared to be influenced by the changing of tea consumption habit at follow-up. Using consistent nontea consumers as the reference, only consistent tea consumers had reduced risk of NCD (OR=0.39). Stratified analyses indicated that tea consumption was associated with reduced risk of NCD among females (OR=0.32) and APOE e4 carriers (OR=0.14) but not males and non APOE e4 carriers.

Conclusion

Regular tea consumption was associated with lower risk of neurocognitive disorders among Chinese elderly. Gender and genetic factors could possibly modulate this association.

 

Tea Consumption Reduces the Incidence of Neurocognitive Disorders: Findings from the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study

But is coffee better for reducing the risk? Your doctor better know the answer.

How coffee protects against Parkinson’s Aug. 2014 

Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Dementia Feb. 2013

Tea Consumption Reduces the Incidence of Neurocognitive Disorders: Findings from the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study

Feng L¹, Chong MS, Lim WS, Gao Q, Nyunt MS, Lee TS, Collinson SL, Tsoi T, Kua EH, Ng TP.

Author information

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To examine the relationships between tea consumption habits and incident neurocognitive disorders (NCD) and explore potential effect modification by gender and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype.

DESIGN:

Population-based longitudinal study.

SETTING:

The Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study (SLAS).

PARTICIPANTS:

957 community-living Chinese elderly who were cognitively intact at baseline.

MEASUREMENTS:

We collected tea consumption information at baseline from 2003 to 2005 and ascertained incident cases of neurocognitive disorders (NCD) from 2006 to 2010. Odds ratio (OR) of association were calculated in logistic regression models that adjusted for potential confounders.

RESULTS:

A total of 72 incident NCD cases were identified from the cohort. Tea intake was associated with lower risk of incident NCD, independent of other risk factors. Reduced NCD risk was observed for both green tea (OR=0.43) and black/oolong tea (OR=0.53) and appeared to be influenced by the changing of tea consumption habit at follow-up. Using consistent non-tea consumers as the reference, only consistent tea consumers had reduced risk of NCD (OR=0.39). Stratified analyses indicated that tea consumption was associated with reduced risk of NCD among females (OR=0.32) and APOE ε4 carriers (OR=0.14) but not males and non APOE ε4 carriers.

CONCLUSION:

Regular tea consumption was associated with lower risk of neurocognitive disorders among Chinese elderly. Gender and genetic factors could possibly modulate this association.

A Meta-Analysis of Tea Drinking and Risk of Parkinson's Disease

But is coffee better for reducing the risk? Your doctor better know the answer.

How coffee protects against Parkinson’s Aug. 2014 

Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Dementia Feb. 2013

A Meta-Analysis of Tea Drinking and Risk of Parkinson's Disease

Feng-Jiao Li, Hong-Fang Ji,^* and Liang Shen^*

Author information ► Article notes ► Copyright and License information ► Disclaimer

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

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Abstract

 

Background. Many studies have reported an association between tea drinking and Parkinson's disease (PD). Our purpose is to summarize the available information and evaluate the risk of PD associated with tea drinking.  

Methods. We searched all publications in English language on the association of tea drinking and PD risk published up to December 2010. The pooled analysis was performed with Review Manager 5.0. Results. In total, eight articles including 1418 cases and 4250 controls were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled odds ratio (95% CI) was 0.85 (0.74–0.98), which suggests the protective effect of tea drinking in PD risks. Moreover, the summary OR (OR: 0.83, 95% CI = 0.69–0.99) for drinkers of ≤1 cup of tea per day versus nonconsumers and that (OR: 0.96, 95% CI = 0.73–1.27) for drinkers of >1 cups of tea per day versus nonconsumers showed that there was not an apparent dose-response relationship. No indication for publication bias was found.  

Conclusions. This meta-analysis showed that tea drinking can lower the risk of PD, while no apparent dose-response relationship was found. Further effort is needed to fully understand the mechanism underlying the beneficial effect of tea consumption in lowering PD risk.

Go to:

1. Introduction

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder, and, with the accelerated aging of human society, the prevalence of PD is expected to rise steadily in future [1, 2]. Despite the pathogenesis of PD is not fully elucidated, many epidemiological factors, such as coffee drinking and smoking, have been demonstrated to lower the risk of PD [3–5]. Tea is one of the most popular beverages worldwide, and the effects of tea consumption on PD risk have attracted much attention in recent years [6–17], as the tea components, such as flavonoids, caffeine, and theanine, have been proven to be neuroprotective in animal models of PD. Many studies have found that tea drinking can lower the risk of PD [6–10, 12–15], while this beneficial effect of tea is not observed in other reports [11, 16]. The purpose of the present study was to perform a meta-analysis to provide a comprehensive conclusion on the association between tea drinking and PD risk, which has important implications for the prevention and treatment of this disease.

Can drinking tea prevent dementia?

Totally the wrong question to ask. Which beverage is best? Coffee, tea, red wine, olive oil, pomegranate?

Can drinking tea prevent dementia?

Extra virgin olive oil staves off Alzheimer's, preserves memory, new study shows June 2017 

Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Dementia 

 

Drinking Coffee Can Lower Alzheimer's Risk By 20%, All It Takes Is 3 Cups A Day

 

Wine experts less vulnerable to Alzheimer's, study says

 

Can pomegranates protect the brain from dementia? Sept. 2016

 

Pomegranate ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease-type neurodegeneration in tg 2576 mouse model (846.1) April 2014

 

A Daily Glass of Red Wine Benefits Your Brain Age

 

Resveratrol Prevents Age-Related Memory and Mood Dysfunction with Increased Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Microvasculature, and Reduced Glial Activation

 

 

 

 

NUS study: Daily consumption of tea protects the elderly from cognitive decline

But is coffee better?

This Common Beverage May Help Fight Dementia

Regular coffee drinkers have 'cleaner' arteries March 2015 

Caffeine may counter age-related inflammation

Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Dementia 

Drinking Coffee Can Lower Alzheimer's Risk By 20%, All It Takes Is 3 Cups A Day

 

 

 

NUS study: Daily consumption of tea protects the elderly from cognitive decline

16 March 2017 National University of Singapore

Tea drinking reduces the risk of cognitive impairment in older persons by 50 per cent and as much as 86 per cent for those who are genetically at risk of Alzheimer’s
A cup of tea a day can keep dementia away, and this is especially so for those who are genetically predisposed to the debilitating disease, according to a recent study led by Assistant Professor Feng Lei from the Department of Psychological Medicine at National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
The longitudinal study involving 957 Chinese seniors aged 55 years or older has found that regular consumption of tea lowers the risk of cognitive decline in the elderly by 50 per cent, while APOE e4 gene carriers who are genetically at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease may experience a reduction in cognitive impairment risk by as much as 86 per cent.
The research team also discovered that the neuroprotective role of tea consumption on cognitive function is not limited to a particular type of tea – so long as the tea is brewed from tea leaves, such as green, black or oolong tea.

“While the study was conducted on Chinese elderly, the results could apply to other races as well. Our findings have important implications for dementia prevention. Despite high quality drug trials, effective pharmacological therapy for neurocognitive disorders such as dementia remains elusive and current prevention strategies are far from satisfactory. Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. The data from our study suggests that a simple and inexpensive lifestyle measure such as daily tea drinking can reduce a person’s risk of developing neurocognitive disorders in late life,” explained Asst Prof Feng.

He added, "Based on current knowledge, this long term benefit of tea consumption is due to the bioactive compounds in tea leaves, such as catechins, theaflavins, thearubigins and L-theanine. These compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential and other bioactive properties that may protect the brain from vascular damage and neurodegeneration. Our understanding of the detailed biological mechanisms is still very limited so we do need more research to find out definitive answers."

In this study, tea consumption information were collected from the participants, who are community-living elderly, from 2003 to 2005. At regular intervals of two years, these seniors were assessed on their cognitive function using standardised tools until 2010. Information on lifestyles, medical conditions, physical and social activities were also collected. Those potential confounding factors were carefully controlled in statistical models to ensure the robustness of the findings.
The research team published their findings in scientific journal The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging in December 2016.
Future Research
Asst Prof Feng and his team are planning to embark on further studies to better understand the impact of Asian diet on cognitive health in ageing. They are also keen to investigate the effects of the bioactive compounds in tea and test them more rigorously through the assessment of their biological markers and by conducting randomised controlled trials or studies that assign participants into experimental groups or control groups randomly to eliminate biased results.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12603-016-0687-0

Attached files

• A study led by Assistant Professor Feng Lei from NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has found that regular consumption of tea lowers the risk of cognitive decline in the elderly, and this is especially so for APOE e4 gene carriers who are genetically at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
  

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• Full bibliographic informationTea consumption reduces the incidence of neurocognitive disorders: Findings from the Singapore longitudinal aging study
  Feng, L., Chong, M.S., Lim, W.S. et al. J Nutr Health Aging (2016) 20: 1002. doi:10.1007/s12603-016-0687-0

Associations between coffee, tea, and caffeine intake with coronary artery calcification and cardiovascular events

No idea if this could be similar for brain arteries. Ask your doctor what inversely means.

Associations between coffee, tea, and caffeine intake with coronary artery calcification and cardiovascular events

American Journal of Medicine, 09/19/2016

Miller PE, et al. – Researchers conducted this study to determine the relationship between coffee, tea, and caffeine intake with coronary artery calcification and cardiovascular events. This study concluded that moderate tea drinkers had a slower progression of coronary artery calcium and diminished risk of cardiovascular events.

Methods

• 6,508 ethnically-diverse participants were examined with available coffee and tea data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.
• Admission for each was classified as never, occasional (<1 cup/day), and regular (≥1 cup/day).
• A coronary artery calcium progression ratio was derived from mixed effect regression models using loge(calcium score+1) as the outcome with coefficients exponentiated to reflect coronary artery calcium progression ratio vs. the reference.    
• To assess the relationship between beverage intake and incident cardiovascular events, Cox proportional hazards analyses were used. 

Results

• Researchers found that over a median follow-up of 5.3 years for coronary artery calcium and 11.1 years for cardiovascular events, participants who regularly drank tea (≥1 cup/day) had a slower progression of coronary artery calcium compared with never drinkers after multivariable adjustment.
• This connected with a statistically significant lower incidence of cardiovascular events for ≥1 cup/day tea drinkers (adjusted HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.53-0.95).  
•   Contrasted with never coffee drinkers, regular coffee intake (≥1 cup/day) was not statistically connected with coronary artery calcium progression or cardiovascular events (adjusted HR 0.97 [0.78, 1.20]).  
• According to the findings obtained, caffeine intake was marginally inversely connected with coronary artery calcium progression.  

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Infusing pleasure: Mood effects of the consumption of a single cup of tea

I bet your doctor won't be prescribing tea to counteract your anxiety you have from not receiving any protocols to get to 100% recovery.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27059832

Einöther SJ¹, Rowson M², Ramaekers JG³, Giesbrecht T⁴.

Author information

Abstract

Tea has historically been associated with mood benefits. Nevertheless, few studies have empirically investigated mood changes after tea consumption. We explored immediate effects of a single cup of tea up to an hour post-consumption on self-reported valence, arousal, discrete emotions, and implicit measures of mood. In a parallel group design, 153 participants received a cup of tea or placebo tea, or a glass of water. Immediately (i.e. 5 min) after consumption, tea increased valence but reduced arousal, as compared to the placebo. There were no differences at later time points. Discrete emotions did not differ significantly between conditions, immediately or over time. Water consumption increased implicit positivity as compared to placebo. Finally, consumption of tea and water resulted in higher interest in activities overall and in specific activity types compared to placebo. The present study shows that effects of a single cup of tea may be limited to an immediate increase in pleasure and decrease in arousal, which can increase interest in activities. Differences between tea and water were not significant, while differences between water and placebo on implicit measures were unexpected. More servings over a longer time may be required to evoke tea's arousing effects and appropriate tea consumption settings may evoke more enduring valence effects.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS:

Arousal; Discrete emotions; Implicit mood; Mood; Tea; Valence

PMID:

27059832

[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

New Studies Reveal That Drinking Certain Kinds of Tea Poses Dangerous Health Risks

Which way does your doctor lean? Coffee or tea? What is their justification for their answer?
http://www.delish.com/food-news/a45400/dangers-of-tea/

Next to water, tea is the most popular beverage in the world, which is generally a good thing: Besides being tasty and soothing—or energizing, depending on what you're going for—a seemingly endless body of research has linked it with a huge number of mental and physical health benefits. Most recently, for example, studies have shown that tea is associated with a lower risk of depression, ovarian cancer, Parkinson's disease and dementia. Given its array of perks, it would seem that the more tea you drink, the better, but new research sheds light on serious risks that may come with sipping certain varieties. Tea can contain or absorb various toxic compounds, depending on lots of things–including its soil, environment, and harvesting, storage and brewing methods. A number of studies have found excessive levels of toxic elements in many different types. Check out the potential dangers below, and learn how to minimize or avoid them–and still have your cup of tea!

Know the Potential Risks

Heavy Metals: In a 2013 study from the Journal of Toxicology, researchers tested 30 teas and found that all had high amounts of lead—which can cause heart, kidney and reproductive problems. Around 73% of teas brewed for three minutes, and 83% percent of those brewed for 15 minutes, had potentially unsafe amounts, and 20 percent of teas brewed for 15 minutes contained unsafe aluminum levels. A 2015 study discovered that teas with added citric acid had elevated aluminum, cadmium and lead, and lemon tea bags produced levels 10 to 70 times higher.

Fluoride: According to research published in 2013, fluoride levels in economy teas exceeded daily recommended levels and had three times the amount of more expensive varieties. "The higher priced teas were observed to have lower fluoride concentrations," says study co-author Laura Chan, PhD, a professor at the University of Derby in the UK, probably due to differences in the parts of the plant that are harvested and the techniques used to do so. Consuming too much fluoride can damage teeth, bones and joints, and we absorb even more of it when fasting.

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids: A November 2015 study from the journal Food Chemistry analyzed 44 samples of herbal teas intended for babies and pregnant and breastfeeding women. They found that 38 of them–86 percent!–tested positive for pyrrolizidine alkaloids, toxins produced by some flowering plants that can cause liver damage. This finding has particular importance for pregnant and lactating women because they can pass the compounds along to the fetus or baby, who is more vulnerable to the toxic effects of pyrrolizidine alkaloids because of their low body weights.

How to Stay Safe and Keep Sipping

1. Keep brew time under three minutes, and "avoid tea from regions that are more contaminated," like China, India and Sri Lanka, says Gerry Schwarfenberg, MD, of the University of Alberta, Edmonton in Canada, one of the researchers in the 2013 heavy metals study. "Tea from China has high levels of lead and aluminum, likely from contaminated soil due to coal fired power plants." Consider opting for white tea–its "leaves are young and have less time to absorb heavy metals," and serve in glass instead of china, which could have lead in the glaze. You can minimize the effect of heavy metals through adequate intake of essential minerals and vitamin D.

2. Go for tea leaves over bag tea or lemons teas. Powder-based "lemon tea in bags is usually of worse quality than tea leaves" and has "higher amounts of noxious metal than tea infusions made from whole leaves," says Magdalena Jeszka-Skowron, PhD, of the Poznan University of Technology in Poland, who is one of the authors of the lemon tea study. Brew bag tea for less time than leaves to get less noxious metals, and hold off on adding lemon to your tea until it's done brewing and you've removed the leaves or bag. Otherwise, "when you add lemon to the tea, its pH becomes lower and more noxious metals are extracted to the tea."

3. To reduce fluoride exposure, again–limit brewing time, and stick to the pricier blends if you drink more than four cups of tea daily. "If anyone wishes to reduce their fluoride intake, consuming pure blends such as Assam, Ceylon, Oolong or Darjeeling would be a way to achieve this," says Chan. And to minimize the amount you absorb, don't drink on an empty stomach.

4. Mix it up–don't stick to one brand or product. "Instead, mix different suppliers and products," says Till Beuerle, PhD, of the Braunschweig University of Technology, an author of the study on pyrrolizidine alkaloids. For instance, don't drink just one peppermint tea from a single brand, but different types of tea from different companies. As for teas with elevated levels of the plant-based toxin, the "biggest problems for the moment are rooibos, and to a lesser extend peppermint, chamomile and other herbal teas like fennel and mixtures thereof, but black teas have also been found positive, while almost no positive samples occurred so far in pure fruit teas."

Coffee or Tea? A Nutritionist Weighs in on Which Is Healthier

Or you could ask your nutritionist at the hospital. I don't even remember being able to get coffee or tea with any meals.

Coffee or Tea? A Nutritionist Weighs in on Which Is Healthier

Coffee and Artery Function

Fascinating look at all the research behind coffee and tea, but with no transcript it is almost impossible to look up this research yourself and see what you should do. I will keep drinking coffee to handle my fatigue and delay/prevent dementia. This is a perfect question for your doctor who should have absorbed all this information and be able to present you with answers on how to deal with this. 

Coffee and Artery Function

'Research' on coffee vs. tea

This is great, more proof than coffee makes you live longer. And does your doctor know about this?
King Gustaf III’s coffee-kills-which-murderous-twin experiment

http://www.improbable.com/2014/06/22/king-gustaf-iiis-coffee-kills-which-murderous-twin-experiment
“Coffee drinking was compared with tea drinking in monozygotic twins in 18th century,” Lars Breimer, BMJ, vol. 312, June 15, 1996, p. 1539. The author, at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in London, explains:

    “One of the more peculiar attempts to throw light on the question of whether drinking coffee is bad for one’s health’ was carried out in the 18th century by King Gustaf III of Sweden…. A pair of monozygotic twins had been sentenced to death for murder. Gustaf III commuted their death sentences to life imprisonment on the condition that one twin drank a large bowl of tea three times a day and that the other twin drank coffee. The twin who drank tea died first, aged 83-a remarkable age for the time. Thus the case was settled: coffee was the less dangerous of the two beverages. The king, on the other hand, was murdered at a masked ball in 1792 at the age of 45 and became the subject of an opera by Verdi.”

Tea, flavonoids, and cardiovascular health: endothelial protection

Would this have prevented the plaque buildup in  my arteries?

Tea, flavonoids, and cardiovascular health: endothelial protection

1. Davide Grassi,
2. Giovambattista Desideri,
3. Paolo Di Giosia,
4. Martina De Feo,
5. Emanuela Fellini,
6. Paola Cheli,
7. Livia Ferri, and
8. Claudio Ferri

+ Author Affiliations

1. ¹From the Department of Life, Health, and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy (DG, GD, PDG, MDF, EF, PC, and CF); and University “Sapienza”–II Faculty of Medicine, Rome, Italy (LF).

+ Author Notes

• ↵2 Presented at the conference “Fifth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health,” held at the US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, 19 September 2012. The conference was organized by Jeffrey Blumberg, Tufts University, Boston, MA, and a Steering Committee including representatives from each of the symposium cosponsors: the American Cancer Society, the American College of Nutrition, the American Institute for Cancer Research, the American Medical Women's Association, the American Society for Nutrition, and the Linus Pauling Institute. The symposium was underwritten by the Tea Council of the USA. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Tea Council of the USA or the cosponsoring organizations.
• ↵3 This symposium was supported by the American Cancer Society, the American College of Nutrition, the American Institute for Cancer Research, the American Medical Women's Association, the American Society for Nutrition, the Linus Pauling Institute, the University of Western Australia, and the Unilever Food and Health Research Institute.
• ↵4 Address correspondence to D Grassi, University of L'Aquila, Department of Life, Health, and Environmental Sciences, Viale S Salvatore, Delta, 6 Medicina, 67100 Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy. E-mail: davide.grassi@cc.univaq.it.

Abstract

Several studies have suggested that tea consumption might protect against the development and progression of cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The endothelium plays a pivotal role in arterial homeostasis. Reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability with endothelial dysfunction is considered the earliest step in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction has been considered an important and independent predictor of future development of cardiovascular risk and events. The association between brachial NO-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and cardiovascular disease risk has been investigated in several prospective studies, suggesting that FMD is inversely associated with future cardiovascular events. Dietary flavonoids and tea consumption have been described to improve endothelial function and FMD. A proposed mechanism by which dietary flavonoids could affect FMD is that they improve the bioactivity of the endothelium-derived vasodilator NO by enhancing NO synthesis or by decreasing superoxide-mediated NO breakdown. This could be of clinical relevance and may suggest a mechanistic explanation for the reduced risk of cardiovascular events and stroke observed among tea drinkers in the different studies. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the relation between tea consumption and cardiovascular disease, with a focus on clinical implications resulting from the beneficial effects of tea consumption on endothelial function.

Tea consumption and cardiovascular disease risk

Is this more important than these 10 referenced and specific ideas?

 Tea consumption and cardiovascular disease risk

1. Lenore Arab,
2. Faraz Khan, and
3. Helen Lam

+ Author Affiliations

1. ¹From the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.

+ Author Notes

• ↵2 Presented at the conference “Fifth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health,” held at the US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, 19 September 2012. The conference was organized by Jeffrey Blumberg, Tufts University, Boston, MA, and a Steering Committee including representatives from each of the symposium cosponsors: the American Cancer Society, the American College of Nutrition, the American Institute for Cancer Research, the American Medical Women's Association, the American Society for Nutrition, and the Linus Pauling Institute. The symposium was underwritten by the Tea Council of the USA. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Tea Council of the USA or the cosponsoring organizations.
• ↵3 Address correspondence to L Arab, 700 Tiverton Drive, 12-262 Factor, Box 951736, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1736. E-mail: larab@mednet.ucla.edu.

Abstract

Background: The present analysis was conducted in response to inconsistent epidemiologic studies on the relation between consumption of tea and cardiovascular diseases.

Objective: We undertook a literature review of the consistency and strength of the associations between tea and cardiovascular diseases on the basis of published observational studies and meta-analyses addressing tea or tea flavonoids and cardiovascular disease risk.

Design: We performed a search in 3 databases for meta-analyses and compared them with studies they subsumed. We performed an additional search for subsequent studies to determine whether the conclusions were consistent.

Results: Many epidemiologic studies have been conducted and summarized in 5 meta-analyses on either tea consumption or flavonoid consumption and cardiovascular disease or the subset of stroke. Heterogeneity of effect was seen when the outcome included all cardiovascular diseases. In the case of stroke, a consistent, dose-response association with tea consumption on both incidence and mortality was noted with RRs of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.98) for flavonoids and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.85) for tea when high and low intakes were compared or the addition of 3 cups/d was estimated.

Conclusion: Thus, the strength of this evidence supports the hypothesis that tea consumption might lower the risk of stroke.

Tea and coffee lower blood pressure in large French registry

This seems counterintuitive so ask your doctor to delve into the details of the research.

Tea and coffee lower blood pressure in large French registry

A large French retrospective analysis provides good news for caffeine lovers: investigators showed that drinking tea or coffee was associated with a small but statistically significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In addition, drinking tea and coffee was also associated with a significant reduction in pulse pressure and heart rate, although the heart-rate reductions were greater with tea.

Presenting the results at the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) 2013 Scientific Sessions, Dr Bruno Pannier (Centre d'Investigations Préventives et Cliniques, Paris, France) said that other studies have suggested a relationship between coffee and tea consumption and blood pressure, but these analyses haven't been conclusive. Some have suggested a benefit, while others found no relationship between tea/coffee consumption and blood pressure.

Presenting the data on 176 437 subjects aged 16 to 95 years of age who had a checkup at their center between 2001 and 2011, Pannier explained that the analysis was simply based on a questionnaire asking participants how much coffee or tea they drank per day. Individuals were classified into three groups: those who drank no coffee/tea, those who drank one to four cups, and those who drank more than four cups.

Overall, coffee is consumed more frequently than tea, although there were differences between the sexes, said Pannier. Men were more likely to drink coffee, while women were more commonly tea drinkers. Coffee consumption was also significantly associated with tobacco consumption, higher cholesterol levels, and higher scores on stress and depression indexes. Tea consumption, on the other hand, was associated with lower cholesterol levels but similarly high scores on the stress and depression measurements. 

Rest at the link including tables.

Reasons to drink coffee or tea

Pick your poison. Details at the links.
http://www.caring.com/articles/5-best-reasons-to-drink-coffee

1. Coffee slashes your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

2. Coffee can counter cancerous cell damage.

3. Coffee may lower your risk of dementia.

4. Coffee protects (men, anyway) against Parkinson's disease.

5. Coffee may buffer depression.

http://www.caring.com/articles/5-best-reasons-to-drink-tea

1. Tea can help you lose weight.

2. Tea can keep you calm and focused.

3. Tea can help repair cancerous cell damage.

4. Tea may ward off postmenopausal bone loss.

5. Tea protects your teeth and gums.