All the Tea in China...

In this issue of the Health Capsules, we review an article on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and tea drinking published in the "American Journal of Public Health" (January 1989, Vol. 79, No.1).

The problem of PMS is a worldwide one. Although no one cause can be singled out, numerous factors have all been implicated. These include hormonal imbalance, a diet high in refined sugar and alcohol, lack of certain nutrients, lack of exercise, oral contraceptives, cigarette smoking, and caffeine consumption.

A study in China shows that the consumption of tea, high in caffeine, is directly related to PMS. The subjects, nursing students and factory workers, consumed between 1 and 4 cups per day. These women were quite active (bike riding), did not smoke cigarettes or consume any other caffeine products, did not use oral contraceptives, alcohol, or tobacco, and had diets with few refined sugars.

The prevalence of PMS in the low tea consuming group (less than 4 cups per day) was 39% as compared to 77% in the high tea consuming group (more than 4 cups per day). Other studies have shown similar relationships with caffeine, where tea consumption was low compared with coffee and cola use.