Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (727 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
The infusion of leaves of camellia sinensis (formerly Thea sinensis) as a beverage, the familiar Asian tea, which contains catechin (especially epigallocatechin gallate) and caffeine.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Green Tea; Green Teas; Tea, Green; Teas, Green; Black Tea; Black Teas; Tea, Black; Teas, Black.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Plant Preparations; Beverages
- Narrower topics
- Kombucha Tea
- See also
- Theophylline; Camellia sinensis
Related concepts
- Camellia Sinensis
- Catechin
- Caffeine
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 15,733 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Tea” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 5,706 of them (36.3%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2020 onward with 5,706 records.
Reviews account for 1,663 records (10.6%) and meta-analyses for 254. Randomized controlled trials number 599 (3.8%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 1,732 |
| 2000-2009 | 3,352 |
| 2010-2019 | 4,943 |
| 2020 onward | 5,706 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 1,663 | 10.6% |
| Meta-analyses | 254 | 1.6% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 599 | 3.8% |
Method: PubMed query "Tea"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumption of coffee and tea and risk of developing stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia: A cohort study in the UK Biobank | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 144 | cc by PMID 34784347 · DOI · PMC8594796 |
| Cellular Defensive Mechanisms of Tea Polyphenols: Structure-Activity Relationship | 2021 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 96 | cc by PMID 34502017 · DOI · PMC8430757 |
| Green Tea and Its Relation to Human Gut Microbiome | 2021 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 90 | cc by PMID 34206736 · DOI · PMC8271705 |
| Sex-Specific Regulation of Glycemic Homeostasis by Theabrownin from Pu-erh Tea | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 0 | cc by PMID 41990259 · DOI · PMC13335617 |
Consumption of coffee and tea and risk of developing stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia: A cohort study in the UK Biobank [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundPrevious studies have revealed the involvement of coffee and tea in the development of stroke and dementia.
- Closing excerpt
- Intake of coffee alone or in combination with tea was associated with lower risk of poststroke dementia.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (235 words)
BackgroundPrevious studies have revealed the involvement of coffee and tea in the development of stroke and dementia. However, little is known about the association between the combination of coffee and tea and the risk of stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the associations of coffee and tea separately and in combination with the risk of developing stroke and dementia.Methods and findingsThis prospective cohort study included 365,682 participants (50 to 74 years old) from the UK Biobank. Participants joined the study from 2006 to 2010 and were followed up until 2020. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the associations between coffee/tea consumption and incident stroke and dementia, adjusting for sex, age, ethnicity, qualification, income, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, alcohol status, smoking status, diet pattern, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), history of cancer, history of diabetes, history of cardiovascular arterial disease (CAD), and hypertension. Coffee and tea consumption was assessed at baseline. During a median follow-up of 11.4 years for new onset disease, 5,079 participants developed dementia, and 10,053 participants developed stroke. The associations of coffee and tea with stroke and dementia were nonlinear (P for nonlinear ConclusionsWe found that drinking coffee and tea separately or in combination were associated with lower risk of stroke and dementia. Intake of coffee alone or in combination with tea was associated with lower risk of poststroke dementia.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34784347 · DOI · PMC8594796
Cellular Defensive Mechanisms of Tea Polyphenols: Structure-Activity Relationship [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Tea is particularly rich in polyphenols, including catechins and theaflavins, thearubigins, flavonols, and phenolic acids, which are believed to contribute to the health benefits of tea.
- Closing excerpt
- Apparently, the features in the chemical structures of tea polyphenols are closely associated with their antioxidant potentials.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (137 words)
Tea is particularly rich in polyphenols, including catechins and theaflavins, thearubigins, flavonols, and phenolic acids, which are believed to contribute to the health benefits of tea. The health-promoting effects of tea polyphenols are believed to be related to their cellular defensive properties. This review is intended to briefly summarize the relationship between the chemical structures of tea polyphenols and their biological activities. Tea polyphenols appear as direct antioxidants by scavenging reactive oxygen/nitrogen species; chelating transition metals; and inhibiting lipid, protein, and DNA oxidations. They also act directly by suppressing "pro-oxidant" enzymes, inducing endogenous antioxidants, and cooperating with vitamins. Moreover, tea polyphenols regulate cellular signaling transduction pathways, importantly contributing to the prevention of chronic diseases and the promotion of physiological functions. Apparently, the features in the chemical structures of tea polyphenols are closely associated with their antioxidant potentials.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34502017 · DOI · PMC8430757
Green Tea and Its Relation to Human Gut Microbiome [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Green tea can influence the gut microbiota by either stimulating the growth of specific species or by hindering the development of detrimental ones.
- Closing excerpt
- In this review, we tried to summarize the most recent research in the area.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (189 words)
Green tea can influence the gut microbiota by either stimulating the growth of specific species or by hindering the development of detrimental ones. At the same time, gut bacteria can metabolize green tea compounds and produce smaller bioactive molecules. Accordingly, green tea benefits could be due to beneficial bacteria or to microbial bioactive metabolites. Therefore, the gut microbiota is likely to act as middle man for, at least, some of the green tea benefits on health. Many health promoting effects of green tea seems to be related to the inter-relation between green tea and gut microbiota. Green tea has proven to be able to correct the microbial dysbiosis that appears during several conditions such as obesity or cancer. On the other hand, tea compounds influence the growth of bacterial species involved in inflammatory processes such as the release of LPS or the modulation of IL production; thus, influencing the development of different chronic diseases. There are many studies trying to link either green tea or green tea phenolic compounds to health benefits via gut microbiota. In this review, we tried to summarize the most recent research in the area.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34206736 · DOI · PMC8271705
Sex-Specific Regulation of Glycemic Homeostasis by Theabrownin from Pu-erh Tea [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Theabrownin (TB) from Pu-erh tea has demonstrated efficacy in alleviating hyperglycemia, yet its mechanism remains incompletely understood.
- Closing excerpt
- Additionally, our study highlights the importance of considering sex differences in the judicious use of supplements or pharmacotherapy.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (166 words)
Theabrownin (TB) from Pu-erh tea has demonstrated efficacy in alleviating hyperglycemia, yet its mechanism remains incompletely understood. In our study, we found that Pu-erh tea or TB intervention effectively lowered postprandial blood glucose levels in females with normal and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), as well as in hyperglycemic mouse models. Specifically, oral administration of Pu-erh tea or TB led to the inhibition of small intestinal α-glucosidase activity in a female-specific manner. TB's inhibition of α-glucosidase in vivo was significantly enhanced by mucin 2 (MUC2), a protein enriched in female intestinal mucin and upregulated by estradiol. Through noncovalent interactions, TB binds to MUC2 to form a complex, significantly boosting its inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase in females. These findings reveal the sex-specific molecular mechanism underlying the blood glucose-lowering effects of TB from Pu-erh tea, offering a promising intervention for maintaining glycemic balance in individuals with IGT or type 2 diabetes. Additionally, our study highlights the importance of considering sex differences in the judicious use of supplements or pharmacotherapy.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41990259 · DOI · PMC13335617
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Tea Polyphenols in Promotion of Human Health [5]
- Research article Beneficial Properties of Green Tea Catechins [6]
- Research article The safety of green tea and green tea extract consumption in adults - Results of a systematic review [7]
- Research article Tea and its consumption: benefits and risks [8]
- Research article Understanding Kombucha Tea Fermentation: A Review [9]
- Research article Coffee, tea, caffeine and risk of depression: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies [10]
References
- Zhang Y, Yang H, Li S, Li WD, Wang Y. Consumption of coffee and tea and risk of developing stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia: A cohort study in the UK Biobank. . 2021. PMID 34784347 · DOI · PMC8594796
- Truong VL, Jeong WS. Cellular Defensive Mechanisms of Tea Polyphenols: Structure-Activity Relationship. . 2021. PMID 34502017 · DOI · PMC8430757
- Pérez-Burillo S, Navajas-Porras B, López-Maldonado A, Hinojosa-Nogueira D, Pastoriza S, Rufián-Henares JÁ. Green Tea and Its Relation to Human Gut Microbiome. . 2021. PMID 34206736 · DOI · PMC8271705
- Li Y, Kuang J, Zheng D, Wang J, Ge K, Qu C, et al.. Sex-Specific Regulation of Glycemic Homeostasis by Theabrownin from Pu-erh Tea. . 2026. PMID 41990259 · DOI · PMC13335617
- Khan N, Mukhtar H. Tea Polyphenols in Promotion of Human Health. Nutrients. 2018. PMID 30585192 · DOI · PMC6356332
- Musial C, Kuban-Jankowska A, Gorska-Ponikowska M. Beneficial Properties of Green Tea Catechins. Int J Mol Sci. 2020. PMID 32143309 · DOI · PMC7084675
- Hu J, Webster D, Cao J, Shao A. The safety of green tea and green tea extract consumption in adults - Results of a systematic review. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2018. PMID 29580974 · DOI
- Hayat K, Iqbal H, Malik U, Bilal U, Mushtaq S. Tea and its consumption: benefits and risks. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2015. PMID 24915350 · DOI
- Villarreal-Soto SA, Beaufort S, Bouajila J, Souchard JP, Taillandier P. Understanding Kombucha Tea Fermentation: A Review. J Food Sci. 2018. PMID 29508944 · DOI
- Grosso G, Micek A, Castellano S, Pajak A, Galvano F. Coffee, tea, caffeine and risk of depression: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2016. PMID 26518745 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.