Wannabe health experts warn that drinking tea will dehydrate you. Unfortunately this is hype and isn’t reality.
My own observations are that indeed, drinking tea does temporarily increase urination just like drinking water does. What I find is that if I mindlessly consume mug after mug of tea, all that excess water does indeed motivate me to visit the bathroom more often.
Personal observations can be misleading, thus I did a search on PubMed to see what science has to say about the subject.
I’ve referenced three studies below that assure us that drinking tea does not dehydrate you and does have beneficial effects.
Beware of whom you listen to for health advice. Are they being scientific? Are they considering opposing viewpoints? Or are they purely generating their own biased opinions?
The effect of drinking tea at high altitude on hydration status and mood
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14872247/
“The study shows therefore that even when drunk at high altitude where fluid balance is stressed, there is no evidence that tea acts as a diuretic when consumed through natural routes of ingestion by regular tea drinkers, but that it does have a positive effect on mood.” (and reduced fatigue)
Plain English: In cold conditions, at high altitude, there was no negative effect from drinking tea. Tea did not induce dehydration.
Effect of fluid replacement with green tea on body fluid balance and renal responses under mild thermal hypohydration: a randomized crossover study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37594507/
“The data indicate that ingestion of GT or an equivalent caffeine amount does not worsen the hydration level 2 h after ingestion and can be effective in reducing the negative fluid balance for acute recovery from mild hypohydration.”
Plain English: Using exercise to induce dehydration, there was no difference between drinking water vs drinking tea. Both were effective in restoring hydration.
Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19774754/
Reviewing other studies the findings are that although there is a short term diuretic effect, there is no evidence that drinking tea causes dehydration.
I am a good southern boy and I LOVE my iced tea. I used to drink it HEAVILY sweetened. But with type 1 diabetus I've gotten away from that. Now it's only slightly sweet.
I was always told that black tea was not good for you for a variety of reasons. Like you, the only issue I've ever had is the more I drink the more time I spend in the bathroom. I have a bladder the size of a peanut.
I was actually just wundering.