Sipping hot tea can increase cancer risk? Top doctor shares a surprising link and suggests a simple fix

Sipping on a cup of hot tea, right after waking up, is a blissful moment many like to cherish. However, it may not be as harmless. Drinking tea is considered to have many health benefits, but recent studies have found that it's the temperature that one has to be mindful of. In a recent social media post, Apollo doctor, Dr Sudhir Kumar, has pointed out a simple and often-ignored piece of information that can make a huge difference in your health.

Dr Sudhir Kumar recently explained that the concern is not about tea. It is the temperature at which it is consumed that can cause cancer. According to him, regularly drinking very hot beverages, especially above 65°C, can damage the lining of the oesophagus. Over time, repeated exposure to such heat may lead to chronic inflammation, which increases the risk of cellular mutations.

He pointed to the classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which categorises drinks consumed above 65°C as probably carcinogenic. The focus, he emphasised, is on the thermal effect rather than the drink itself.

What does study say?

Backing this up, long-term cohort data from the Golestan study in Iran tracked over 50,000 adults for more than a decade. The findings showed that individuals who consumed tea at temperatures of 60°C or higher had around a 40 per cent higher risk of developing oesophageal cancer. Those who drank tea within two minutes of pouring saw an even higher increase in risk, at about 50 per cent. A preference for very hot tea was associated with the highest levels of risk among participants.


It found that higher tea temperatures, shorter waiting times before drinking, and larger quantities consumed at high temperatures were all linked to increased cancer risk. Drinking 700 ml or more of tea daily at temperatures above 60°C was associated with nearly a 90 per cent higher risk compared to lower-temperature consumption.

Another study from western Kenya, focusing on regions with high ESCC incidence, reinforced these findings. It was observed that people consuming very hot beverages had significantly higher odds of developing oesophageal cancer compared to those who drank warm beverages. The association remained consistent across different age groups and lifestyles, suggesting that temperature itself plays a critical role.

The solution?

Dr Sudhir Kumar highlighted that the solution is surprisingly simple. Allowing tea to cool for about four to five minutes after pouring can bring its temperature below the risky threshold. This small pause significantly reduces the chances of thermal injury to the oesophagus, without requiring any major lifestyle change or giving up a daily habit many enjoy.