The common belief that drinking tea makes you pee more.

Rumor has it that drinking tea makes you pee more and that this can cause dehydration. Many of us also have first-hand experience. We drink tea and then we have to pee. We’ve also heard it from grandmothers and mothers. But is this really true; why and how? Additionally, we sometimes experience a dry feeling in our mouths with some teas – especially green tea. This easily leads to the conclusion that we have to pee more because of our tea consumption.

Does drinking tea really make you pee more?

Certainly, when tea festival organizers plan large events, one of the top concerns is the number of available bathrooms. But what could it be about tea that makes it any more likely to exacerbate these issues than drinking any other liquid? And the answer is . . . Caffeine.

Caffeine is a mild stimulant in many ways, including urination. Drinking tea does make us pee slightly more than drinking water alone. It also stimulates our sense of well-being and increases our energy level. There are many different ways in which caffeine, used in moderation with awareness is very healthy. 

 Caffeine in Camellia sinensis and in some herbal teas is a mild diuretic.

A diuretic, whether it’s a natural herbal treatment or a prescription medication, is anything that incites or stimulates the bladder to release urine. In tea, the chemical compound that stimulates urination is caffeine. But it is considered to be mild. There have not been many studies over the last hundred years and many physicians and researchers continue to refer to a 1928 study into the nature of caffeine. Two interesting details of this work are that there is a significant difference between the caffeine in tea and pure caffeine added to water. Tea is milder. The other is that people who drink tea daily experience less bladder stimulation vs. those who do not and are suddenly adding more than a cup of tea to their daily diet. In other words, our bodies become used to a consistent amount of tea’s caffeine. 

How does drinking tea stimulate your bladder?

  1. If the tea you drink contains caffeine . . .
  2. The caffeine molecule signals your pituitary gland
  3. The pituitary gland then stops producing the ADH hormone
  4. This is a signal to your kidneys to stop absorbing water
  5. Then, your intake of water it needs to be eliminated from your body in a different way
  6. One alternative is that bladder absorbs, experiences the sense of fullness and . . .
  7. You rush to the bathroom!

Is tea more of a diuretic than any other beverage with caffeine?

No. It is actually less than many caffeinated sodas. Additionally, teas can be blended with other herbs that are not diuretic but add even more flavor to the teacup and reduce the total amount of caffeine. Of course, there are other herbs sometimes included in tea blends or food blends that also have a mild diuretic effect.  

Hibiscus Herbal Tea

Other herbs that are also mild diuretics.

  • Dandelion
  • Hawthorn
  • Horsetail 
  • Juniper
  • Hibiscus  
  • Parsley

And some foods;

  • Watermelon
  • Grape
  • Celery
  • Asparagus
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Bell peppers

How can tea as a diuretic help with health concerns?

In medicine, diuretics are used to treat heart failure, liver cirrhosis, hypertension, influenza, water poisoning, and certain kidney diseases.      (Wikipedia)

While drinking caffeinated teas cannot replace prescription diuretics, because it is mile and can be enjoyed in moderation, adding Camellia sinensis to an overall health program can help.

  • Tea can increase energy for more physical exercise: Exercise can help get rid of extra fluid by increasing blood flow to your tissues
  • Tea actually helps you stay hydrated: Consuming 2-4 cups of tea per day can help you stay hydrated while also stimulating a healthy level of urination. 
  • Drinking tea that you brew yourself can substitute for less healthy beverages.

Conclusion:

The ways in which tea stimulates your bladder and makes you pee is healthy aspect of daily sipping because retaining fliuds can lead to more serious health issues.

What’s Health About Tea; A series of 20 articles based on the book, “The Everything Healthy Tea Book”