Tea is a decoction made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Regular consumption of tea is known to be associated with protection from a number of diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer (particularly of the gastrointestinal tract) and dementia. The benefits of tea are thought to derive from it high content of flavonoids, particularly the catechin flavonoids (flavan-3-ols). The higher content of catechins in green tea may explain its stronger association toward protection for certain diseases. Tea is the most widely consumed drink in the World following plain water, and therefore tea is a significant source of flavonoids in humans. Some observational studies have found associations between tea drinking and increased bone mineral density, suggesting that tea may exert beneficial effects on bone health. However, it is not understood how tea could affect bone health, or whether it is components within the tea, or foods associated with tea (such as milk) that may have the beneficial effects.
Tea consumption is associated with a reduction in the risk of osteoporotic fractures. This may relate to the flavonoid content of the tea, or could relate to some other factor (such as the concomitant consumption of milk).
The association between tea and bone health were recently demonstrated in a study that investigated the risk of bone fractures amongst tea drinkers. Elderly women aged 75 years and over were given a food frequency questionnaire and then the women had their medical records assessed over the course of 10 years to record their bone fracture rates. Over the course of 10 years 24 % of the women suffered bone fractures with 18 % suffering major osteoporotic fractures. Those subjects that had the highest intake of tea (more than 3 cups per day) had a 30 % lower risk of suffering an osteoporotic fracture compared to the subjects with the lowest intake of tea (less than 1 cup per day). When the authors assessed the effects of flavonoids, from both the tea and the diet, they found that those with the highest flavonoid intake had a lower risk of fracture compared to those with the lowest intake. In particular, strong associations were found for flavonols, one of the subclasses of flavonoids, small amounts of which are in tea.
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