RT Journal
A1 Hodgson JM, Woodman RJ, Croft KD
T1 Black tea and blood pressure: Did the blood pressure fall or rise?—reply
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 2012
FD June 11
VO 172
IS 11
SP 894
OP 895
DO 10.1001/archinternmed.2012.1552
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2012.1552
AB 
Our study has demonstrated that regular consumption of 3 cups/d of polyphenol-rich black tea compared with a control beverage results in lower blood pressure.1 The control beverage was matched for caffeine but did not contain polyphenols. Participants had systolic blood pressures between 115 and 150 mm Hg, and most were not hypertensive. All participants were regular tea drinkers, and during a 4-week run-in period, they consumed 3 cups/d of regular leaf tea in the usual manner, which for most participants included the addition of milk. They did not add milk to their assigned beverage during the intervention. Our results are consistent with the idea that the tea polyphenols cause lower blood pressure.