Very hot drinks may raise Cancer risk

Tea and coffee are part of many people’s daily routines but drinking them while they are extremely hot may not be a good idea.

A new study suggests that regularly consuming very hot drinks may be linked to a higher risk of a certain type of esophageal cancer. Study examines nearly 1 Million people

Researchers led by Dr Karen Papier from the University of Oxford studied health data from around 980,000 people in the UK.

Participants were followed for about 14 years to examine whether drinking hot beverages was linked to esophageal cancer.

The participants were asked how they usually preferred their tea, coffee, and other drinks: very hot, hot or warm.

Very hot drinks linked to higher Cancer risk

The study found that people who preferred their drinks very hot had nearly three times the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared with those who preferred warm drinks.

The amount of hot beverages consumed also appeared to matter. People who drank six or more hot drinks a day had a 71% higher risk of SCC than those who drank fewer than six.

However researchers did not find a clear link between hot drinks and another major type of esophageal cancer called adenocarcinoma (AC).

Why could very hot drinks be harmful?

Researchers suggest that repeated exposure to very high temperatures may damage the cells lining the esophagus. Over time repeated heat related irritation could contribute to changes in these cells.

However the study does not prove that hot drinks directly cause cancer.

Should tea and coffee drinkers be concerned?

There is no need to completely give up tea or coffee. A simple precaution is to let very hot drinks cool for a few minutes before drinking them.

Experts also point out that the study had some limitations. For example participants reported their preferred drink temperature themselves so what one person considered “very hot” may have been different for another.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified beverages consumed at temperatures above 65°C as probably carcinogenic to humans in 2016.

Smoking and alcohol use are also important risk factors for esophageal cancer.  Therefore avoiding extremely hot drinks is only one part of maintaining a healthier lifestyle.