Effect of tea consumption on thiamin status in man

Abstract

Studies were conducted in north Thailand to determine the effect of drinking tea and chewing tea leaves on the thiamin status of school children and adult villagers. Blood transketolase of the school children was determined after 7 day periods which included: drinking tea instead of water, drinking tea plus thiamin supplement, thiamin supplement and no treatment. The transketolase thyamine pyrophosphate (TPP) effect was increased to deficient levels by drinking tea and decreased to normal by thiamin supplement. The blood transketolase TPP effect of adults who chewed tea levels was deficient initially and was decreased to normal by withdrawal of the tea leaves. However, a daily supplement of 10 mg of thiamin did not alleviate the deleterious effects of chewing tea leaves. These experiments showed that both tea drinking and the chewing of tea leaves had a significant effect on the thiamin status of the subjects under study.