Study on Tea and Coffee Consumption

A recent study has reported that regular use of tea and coffee can reduce the chances of urinary stone formation.

Nephrolithiasis is a complex disease with multiple factors associated with its development. Dietary modification is key to prevent stone formation and recurrence. Large epidemiological studies previously demonstrated a protective role in general, for both coffee and tea against urinary stone formation. This has been generally attributed to the diuretic effects of caffeine, the presence of antioxidant components in tea, and the additional fluid volume intake, mainly for tea consumption.

With the aim to explore the mechanisms behind the potential protective effect of coffee and tea consumption, regarding urinary stone formation, previously demonstrated in large epidemiological studies, Yazeed Barghouthy et al undertook a study.

Study Design

The study design consisted of a systematic review performed using the Medline, Cochrane library (CENTRAL) and Scopus databases, in concordance with the PRISMA statement. English, French, and Spanish language studies, regarding the consumption of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and tea, and the relationship to urinary stone formation were reviewed. Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, case reports and letters, unpublished studies, posters, and comments abstracts were excluded.

Results

On data analysis, the following results emerged:

• As per the inclusion criteria, 13 studies were included in the final review.
• The major findings show that caffeine increases urinary excretion of calcium, sodium, and magnesium, in addition to a diuretic action with consumption > 300–360 mg (approximately four cups of coffee).
• Together with other components of coffee, this beverage might have potential protective effects against the formation of urinary stones.
• Tea exerts many protective effects against stone formation, through the accompanying water intake, the action of caffeine, and the effects of components with antioxidant properties.

"Caffeine has a hypercalciuric effect, balanced partially by a diuretic effect which appears after consumption of large quantities of caffeine. The current available literature supports in general, a potentially protective role for tea against stone formation, mainly for green tea. Additional standardization in this field of research, through specification of tea and coffee types studied, and their respective compositions, is needed for further clarification of the relation between coffee, tea, and urinary stones."

the team concluded.

For the full article click on the link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-020-03466-8

Primary source: World Journal of Urology