Impact of tea consumption frequency on hemoglobin and ferritin levels: a comparative analysis

Background: Tea is the second most widely consumed beverage in the world, appreciated for its cultural value and biological compounds with antioxidant and cardioprotective properties. Nevertheless, its polyphenolic composition, especially tannins, has been demonstrated to impair non-heme iron absorption, thereby posing a question about its influence on iron status. Methods: The study was conducted at the Department of Medical Lab Science, IIAHS&R, Lucknow, performed from a period of three month. A total of 60 subjects, aged 18-60 years, were selected and equally distributed into regular tea consumers (consuming a minimum of 1 cup daily for the past 3 months) and occasional tea consumers. Hemoglobin and ferritin concentrations were assessed and statistically analysed employing the independent samples t-test. Results: The results showed significantly lower mean hemoglobin and ferritin concentrations in regular tea consumers compared to occasional tea consumers. Conclusions: These results indicate that regular tea consumption may affect iron absorption, resulting in reduced iron stores and capacity to transport oxygen.