There are many benefits of drinking tea – and there are some side effects too. How you feel depends mainly on the type of tea you drink. You can find black tea, green tea, oolong tea, white tea, yellow tea, and even flowering tea. Non-herbal teas are made after processing the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. These leaves are processed for different durations and this processing time determines whether you get a black, green, or oolong tea. Many people believe that irrespective of which type of tea you opt for, you will end up peeing more. Is it so?

Does Tea Make You Pee More?

Yes, it is possible to experience increased urination after drinking tea. Drinking tea can sometimes make you urinate more than drinking water and that is mainly because tea also has caffeine and other chemicals, which are diuretic in nature. This is the reason why many people notice a change in frequency and volume of urination when they drink tea, whether black or green. Here are some more details:

1. Increased Fluid Intake

Just like water, you are providing your body with fluid when drinking tea. The more fluid you drink, the higher the chances of you producing more urine. Your body only uses the amount of fluids it needs and releases extra fluids through urination. Under normal circumstances, you may urinate 4-6 times a day and pass up to 3 liters of urine a day.

Quite like water, tea can also help hydrate your body because it is also a form of fluid. However, it is usually better to opt for non-caffeinated beverages to hydrate your body. You will be better off drinking 6-8 8oz glasses of water a day.

2. Caffeine Content

Why does tea make you pee more? The caffeine content of tea has a role to play. Caffeine is usually safe for consumption, but it acts as a diuretic on your system and leads to frequent urination. It is therefore a good idea to limit your caffeine intake and avoid consuming more than 300mg of caffeine per day. Excessive consumption of caffeine, even in the form of tea, can cause several problems, including restlessness, trouble sleeping, anxiety, and tremors.

3. Herbal Diuretics

You are likely to urinate more when you opt for teas made from natural diuretics such as stinging nettle and dandelion. They are natural diuretics and promote urination. Dandelion tea is made using the roots and leaves of the plant, whereas stinging nettle tea is made from the roots and leaves of the plant. Combined with caffeine, these natural diuretics can easily increase the frequency and volume of urination.

Should You Worry?

Does tea make you pee more? Yes, but you usually do not need to worry about urinating more than usual. Drinking tea often does not cause permanent damage to your urinary tract or bladder. In fact, you can limit the number of times you urinate by cutting back on the tea. And there is no need to take any such measures if frequent urination does not bother you.

Know When to Seek Medical Attention

However, if you fail to control urination even after cutting back on the tea, you may consider getting in touch with your doctor. This usually indicates there is another underlying problem making you to pee more. It could be because you have diabetes or you have little calcium in your body. An enlarged prostate gland, a urinary tract infection, and kidney failure are other possible reasons why you may be urinating more even after cutting back on the tea.

Although everyone is different, you may be peeing more if you are producing more than 2.5 liters of urine every day. Before making a decision, you should carefully monitor the amount of fluid you drink on a daily basis along with how much urine you produce. Keeping track of your weight may also help determine how much fluid you produce. Seek immediate medical attention if you continue to urinate more for several consecutive days.

Precautions with Drinking Tea

Does tea make you pee more? The answer is yes, but that is not a bad thing actually, so long as it is not affecting the quality of your life. Still, it is a good idea to take some precautionary measures to ensure you do not develop any complications for drinking tea.

• Avoid drinking tea on an empty stomach. Tea can affect the secretion of gastric fluids by diluting gastric acid, which in turn will lower digestive tract function. You may even experience palpitations along with a stomachache.
• Never drink tea 20 minutes before and after your meals. This affects the release of gastric fluids and makes digestion difficult. Moreover, the oxalic acid in tea can interact with protein and iron in the food you eat and affect their absorption.
• Avoid drinking tea before sleeping because it contains caffeine that can interfere with your sleep. Tea made from green leaves is more likely to cause insomnia.
• Avoid drinking excessive amounts of tea if you are already suffering from gout. The tannin present in tea can interact with uric acid and increase its levels in the body, which will ultimately make your gout worse.
• Never drink tea with medication. The tannin in tea can interact with your medications and make them less effective.
• Avoid drinking green tea if you already have a stomach problem. It is better to drink red tea in case you have a digestive problem.
• Do not give tea to your children because the polyphenols in tea can affect iron absorption in the body. This over time can lead to anemia in children.
• Do not drink tea during pregnancy because caffeine and polyphenols can hamper the growth of your baby.