Tea contains a large amount of polyphenols, which can combine with many drugs to form precipitates, hindering the absorption of the drugs and thus affecting their efficacy. As the saying goes: “Tea Water neutralizes medicine,” so never take medicine with tea water, or it will be in vain.
Why not take medicine with tea?
Taking medicine with tea water can reduce its effectiveness and react with the drug to produce harmful substances. Tea contains a large amount of Tannic acid, which can react with alkaloids, the active ingredients in drugs, forming insoluble substances. This can not only reduce the effectiveness of the drug but also easily lead to conditions such as gallstones and kidney stones. Tea contains Caffeine, theophylline, and other components that can stimulate the central nervous system; taking sedatives or hypnotics with tea water can inhibit the drug's effectiveness. Note that you should not drink tea for two hours after taking medicine.
After seeing a doctor, the physician will advise patients not to take medicines with tea water. This is mainly because tea contains components such as polyphenols, tannins, caffeine, cocoa alkaloids, and theophylline, which can easily chemically react with the chemical components in the drugs, thereby affecting the therapeutic effects of the drugs.
