Not Sweet: Too Much Iced Tea Causes Kidney Failure
Not Sweet: Too Much Iced Tea Causes Kidney Failure
Drinking tea can be a healthy habit. It’s linked to benefits like lower blood pressure, possible cancer risk reduction, and even support for weight loss.
But as one case shows, it's possible to have too much of a good thing.
In May 2014, a 56-year-old man went to a hospital in Arkansas with weakness, fatigue and body aches. Doctors soon found his kidneys were failing, and he needed dialysis. When they looked closer at his daily habits, they found a surprising cause: he had been drinking about 16 weigh-ounce glasses of iced tea every day—roughly one gallon.
How Iced Tea Affects Your Kidneys
“Iced tea is full of oxalic acid,” says Scott Youngquist, MD, an emergency physician at University of Utah Health. “When taken in excess, deposits in your kidneys and mucks up the work of removing waste from the blood.:
In this case, the large amount of tea likely overwhelmed the patient’s kidneys. Over time, that build up contributed to kidney failure.
What is Oxalate?
Black tea is rich in oxalate, a compound found naturally in many foods. In normal amounts, oxalate isn’t harmful. But in large quantities, it can lead to kidney stones.
The man in this case likely consumed 1,500 milligrams of oxalate per day. Most people typically consume between 150 and 500 milligrams daily.
Tea isn’t the only source of oxalate. Other heathy foods can also contain high levels, and have also been reported to cause kidney failure if consumed in excessive amounts.
These foods include:
- Rhubarb
- Peanuts
- Star fruit
- Certain vegetables like cucumbers
Like tea, these foods are known for their health benefits. But as Youngquist says, "Anything consumed to excess can be toxic—including water!"
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