Very hot tea, coffee linked to higher esophageal cancer risk

Drinking very hot tea or coffee could be associated with a higher risk of developing esophageal cancer, according to a study by British researchers involving nearly one million people. Scientists found that participants who consumed “very hot” beverages had approximately three times the risk compared with those who drank “warm” tea or coffee, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

The research, conducted by the University of Oxford and published in the International Journal of Cancer, is described as the largest study to date examining the link between hot beverage consumption and esophageal cancer.

According to the researchers, any beverage with a temperature of 65 degrees Celsius or higher is considered “very hot” and may represent a risk factor. One possible explanation is that hot liquids may damage cells lining the esophagus.

However, the researchers emphasize that the absolute risk of developing the disease remains low, even among people who consume very hot beverages. Drinking six or more hot beverages per day is also associated with a higher risk.

Tea prepared immediately after boiling water can reach a temperature of around 100 degrees Celsius. After being poured into a cup, the temperature generally falls to approximately 90–95 degrees.

Researchers recommend allowing tea or coffee to cool for a few minutes before drinking it.

Adding milk can cool the beverage to some extent, but according to the researchers, it may still remain hot enough to pose a risk when consumed regularly.

Cancer Research UK says it is difficult to determine exactly how long people should wait for a beverage to reach a safe temperature. The recommendation is to wait until the drink is comfortable to consume and avoid drinking it while it is very hot.

Keren Papier, one of the study’s authors, noted that previous research conducted in South America, where the very hot beverage mate is frequently consumed, found a similar association between high beverage temperatures and esophageal cancer. However, she stressed that further studies are needed to establish the exact temperature at which the risk begins to increase.

Another study involving 118 young people who tasted different types of coffee found that most participants considered the beverage too hot only at temperatures of 70 degrees Celsius or higher.

According to hot beverage cup manufacturer MTPak Coffee, the ideal temperature for takeaway coffee is between 49 and 60 degrees Celsius. If a customer requests a “very hot” beverage, it may be served at temperatures above 82 degrees Celsius.

Esophageal cancer is the tenth most common type of cancer worldwide and the seventh leading cause of cancer-related death, according to Worldwide Cancer Research.

In its early stages, the disease often causes few or nonspecific symptoms, which is why it is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, heartburn or acid reflux, nausea and vomiting, hoarseness, and loss of appetite.

Researchers estimate that around one or two in every ten cases of esophageal cancer could potentially be prevented if people stopped consuming very hot beverages.

However, experts warn that there are much more significant risk factors. Smoking and alcohol consumption substantially increase the risk of developing esophageal cancer.

“The most important ways to reduce the risk of this type of cancer are not to smoke and to reduce alcohol consumption,” said Fiona Osgoon, a representative of Cancer Research UK.

The study indicates an association between consuming very hot beverages and the risk of esophageal cancer, but it does not prove that the temperature of the beverage directly causes the disease. Researchers say further investigation is needed to determine precisely what temperature and frequency of consumption are associated with an increased risk.

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