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When taken by mouth: Drinking pu-erh tea is POSSIBLY SAFE for most healthy adults in moderate amounts (about 4 cups per day).
Pu-erh tea is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken for a long time or in high doses (more than 4 cups per day). Drinking large amounts of pu-erh tea might cause side effects due to its caffeine content. These side effects including headache, nervousness, sleep problems, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, irregular heartbeat, tremor, heartburn, dizziness, ringing in the ears, convulsions, and confusion. Also, people who drink a lot of pu-erh tea every day may need to drink more tea to get the same effects. They may also become "dependent" on tea to the point that they develop withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop drinking it.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, drinking pu-erh tea is
POSSIBLY SAFE in amounts of 3 cups per day or less. This amount of tea provides about 300 mg of caffeine. Drinking more than this amount during pregnancy is
POSSIBLY UNSAFE and has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and other problems. Also, caffeine can pass into breast milk, so nursing mothers should closely monitor caffeine intake to make sure it is on the low side (1-2 cups per day). High intake of caffeine by nursing mothers can cause sleep disturbances, irritability, and increased bowel activity in breast-fed infants.
Children: Pu-erh tea is
POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth by children in amounts commonly found in foods and beverages.
Anxiety disorders: The caffeine in pu-erh tea might make these conditions worse.
Bleeding disorders: There is concern that pu-erh tea might make bleeding disorders worse because of its caffeine content. Use pu-erh tea with care if you have a bleeding disorder.
Heart conditions: The caffeine in pu-erh tea can cause irregular heartbeat in some people. Use pu-erh tea with caution if you have a heart condition.
Diabetes: Some research suggests that caffeine may affect the way the body uses sugar and might make diabetes worse. But the effect of caffeine-containing herbs and beverages such as pu-erh tea has not been studied. If you have diabetes, use pu-erh tea with caution.
Diarrhea: Pu-erh tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in pu-erh tea, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Pu-erh tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in pu-erh tea, especially when taken in large amounts, might worsen the diarrhea some people have with IBS.
An eye disorder called glaucoma: The caffeine in pu-erh tea might increase the pressure inside the eye.
High blood pressure: The caffeine in pu-erh tea might increase blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. However, this effect might be less in people who use caffeine regularly.
Weak bones (osteoporosis): The caffeine in pu-erh tea can increase the amount of calcium that is flushed out in the urine. If you have osteoporosis or low bone density, don't drink more than 3 cups of pu-erh tea per day. It's also a good idea to get extra calcium to make up for the amount that may be lost in the urine. If you are generally healthy and getting enough calcium from your food and supplements, taking up to 400 mg of caffeine daily (about 4 cups of pu-erh tea) doesn't seem to increase the risk of getting osteoporosis. Postmenopausal women with an inherited disorder that keeps them from processing vitamin D normally should use caffeine with caution.
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