Tea drinking and microcytic anemia in infants

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of tea drinking on the occurrence of microcytic anemia in infants, we studied 122 healthy infants who underwent routine blood counts at the age of 6-12 months. An overall high frequency of anemia (Hb less than 11 gm/dl-48.4%), microcytosis (MCV less than 70 Mm3-21.3%) and microcytic anemia (19%) was found in the whole group. The percentage of tea drinking infants with microcytic anemia (32.6%) was significantly higher than that of the non-tea drinkers (3.5%). The daily amount of tea drinking was 50-750 ml (median 250 ml). The tea drinkers had significantly lower mean levels of hemoglobin than that of the non-tea drinkers (10.5 +/- 1.2 gm/dl vs 11.2 +/- 0.8 gm/dl, respectively) and significantly lower mean levels of mean corpuscular volume than that of the non-tea drinkers (71.5 +/- 7.1 micron 3 vs 76.1 +/- 4.6 micron 3). There were no significant differences between the two groups in their sex distribution and in the duration of breast feeding. The two groups differed with regard to their ages and social class but a multivariate analysis had excluded the possible confounding effect of these differences on the hematological results. Based on our finding we do not recommend giving tea to infants whose main source of iron is from milk, grains, vegetables or medicinal sources.

Tea consumption and iron status

“…The factors that remained in the model to predict high serum ferritin concentrations were high mothers' parity, absence of recent infections, high birth weight, high energy adjusted intakes of non-haem iron, high vitamin C and low calcium intakes (Cowin et al, 2001). Two casecontrol studies (Kuvibidila et al, 1992;Merhav et al, 1985) focused on the relationship between tea consumption and the prevalence of anaemia without determining the iron deficiency status specifically with serum ferritin measurements. Both studies observed (Kuvibidila et al, 1992;Merhav et al, 1985) that anaemia, as determined by Tea consumption and iron status EHM Temme and PGA Van Hoydonck haemoglobin concentrations only, is more prevalent among tea drinking infants than among non-tea drinkers, even with a longer period of beef and poultry feeding in the tea group (Merhav et al, 1985) or adjusting for episodes of sickness (Kuvibidila et al, 1992).…”

“…Two casecontrol studies (Kuvibidila et al, 1992;Merhav et al, 1985) focused on the relationship between tea consumption and the prevalence of anaemia without determining the iron deficiency status specifically with serum ferritin measurements. Both studies observed (Kuvibidila et al, 1992;Merhav et al, 1985) that anaemia, as determined by Tea consumption and iron status EHM Temme and PGA Van Hoydonck haemoglobin concentrations only, is more prevalent among tea drinking infants than among non-tea drinkers, even with a longer period of beef and poultry feeding in the tea group (Merhav et al, 1985) or adjusting for episodes of sickness (Kuvibidila et al, 1992). Differences in other dietary factors than tea were, however, not reported (Kuvibidila et al, 1992;Merhav et al, 1985) and the low weight suggested a lower total energy intake in tea drinkers in the Zairian study (Kuvibidila et al, 1992).…”

“…Both studies observed (Kuvibidila et al, 1992;Merhav et al, 1985) that anaemia, as determined by Tea consumption and iron status EHM Temme and PGA Van Hoydonck haemoglobin concentrations only, is more prevalent among tea drinking infants than among non-tea drinkers, even with a longer period of beef and poultry feeding in the tea group (Merhav et al, 1985) or adjusting for episodes of sickness (Kuvibidila et al, 1992). Differences in other dietary factors than tea were, however, not reported (Kuvibidila et al, 1992;Merhav et al, 1985) and the low weight suggested a lower total energy intake in tea drinkers in the Zairian study (Kuvibidila et al, 1992). In a study from New Zealand (Wilson et al, 1999) in 206 hospitalised children of whom 29% were iron deficient, the diets of 69% of the anaemic children included factors which may have contributed to their iron deficiency such as early introduction of cow's milk, late introduction of meat or regular consumption of tea (eight children drank tea).…”

Association between composition of the diet and haemoglobin and ferritin levels in 18-month-old children

“…A study of 120 infants aged 6 ± 12 months in Israel (Merhav et al, 1985) found that those who drank tea had a considerably higher frequency of anaemia (Hb`110 gal) than those who did not (64% vs 31%). This effect was not explicable by age or social class differences.…”

Thoughts about rates of breastfeeding

“…Traditionally it is thought to protect against diarrhoea. But some phenol compounds in tea are powerful inhibitors of iron absorption, sometimes up to 80% (19), which exacerbates iron deficiency in some infant and mother populations (20,21,22), especially if vitamin C intakes are low. Coffee and cola drinks can also inhibit iron absorption to varying degrees.…”