Effects of tea consumption on thiamine status and nerve conduction in Pakistani people

ABSTRACT

It is known that tea contains some polyphenolic antithiamin factors and tea consumption causes thiamine deficiency in human beings. The effect of tea drinking on the thiamine status and nerve conduction in Pakistani people was investigated. Thiamine status was measured as thiamine pyrophosphate effects [TPPE] on erythrocyte transketolase activity [ETKA] and the results were expressed as TPPE%. Nerve conduction was measured by conventional electromyographic [EMG] methods. TPPE% values were increased to deficient levels by drinking tea and decreased to the normal values by thiamine supplement. There was no significant alteration in the nerve conduction of the peoples under study, by tea consumption within our study period