The Association Between Tea Consumption and Hyperhomocysteine in Chinese Hypertensive Patients

BACKGROUND There is no consistent evidence for the relationship between tea-drinking and hyperhomocysteine (hHcy). Because tea-drinking habit and hHcy have prevailed in Chinese hypertensive patients, this study aimed to investigate the association between hHcy and tea consumption in patients with hypertension. METHODS A total of 335 hypertensive participants were recruited from 7 communities. Demographic characteristics of participants were collected through face-to-face interviews using a standard questionnaire, whereas laboratory data were obtained within 1 week after patient recruitment. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between tea consumption and hHcy in hypertensive patients. RESULTS Of the 335 patients, 245 had a tea-drinking habit, and 252 of them were detected with hHcy. A significant association was found between tea consumption and hHcy in hypertensive patients (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-3.36, P = 0.048). Subgroup analyses showed that black tea drinking group (adjusted OR = 8.81, 95% CI = 2.74-28.33, P < 0.001) was significantly associated with the risk of hHcy, but not oolong and green tea drinking groups (P > 0.05). Furthermore, consuming a small amount (1 cup per day) of green tea was negatively associated with hHcy (adjusted OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.07-0.51, P = 0.001), whereas a large intake (>3 cups per day) of green tea was associated with high odds of hHcy (adjusted OR = 5.00, 95% CI = 1.33-18.79, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest a hypothesis that selecting green tea or limiting tea consumption might reduce risk of hHcy in hypertensive patients and that warrants further study.