Chen XJ, Pang D, Li LP, Chen YQ, Tan XR. A hypothesis on the relationship between tea drinking and sexual activity. World J Hypertens 2013; 3(4): 32-36 [DOI: 10.5494/wjh.v3.i4.32]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Xue-Rui Tan, MD, PhD, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No.57 Changping Road, Shantou 515031, Guangdong Province, China. tanxuerui@vip.sina.com
Research Domain of This Article
Physiology
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
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World J Hypertens. Nov 23, 2013; 3(4): 32-36 Published online Nov 23, 2013. doi: 10.5494/wjh.v3.i4.32
A hypothesis on the relationship between tea drinking and sexual activity
Xiao-Jun Chen, Dong Pang, Li-Ping Li, Ye-Qun Chen, Xue-Rui Tan
Xiao-Jun Chen, Ye-Qun Chen, Xue-Rui Tan, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, Guangdong Province, China
Dong Pang, Institute of Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Bedfordshire MK43 OAL, United Kingdom
Li-Ping Li, Injury Prevention Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Chen XJ collected the literature and drafted the manuscript; Pang D and Li LP helped modify the manuscript; Chen YQ helped collect the literature and drafted the manuscript; Tan XR designed the study and supervised interpreting the results; all the authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30771836; and the Provincial Project of Science and Technology Plans of Guangdong, No. 2007B031509008
Correspondence to: Xue-Rui Tan, MD, PhD, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No.57 Changping Road, Shantou 515031, Guangdong Province, China. tanxuerui@vip.sina.com
Telephone: +86-754-88611690 Fax: +86-754-88259850
Received: June 1, 2013 Revised: August 12, 2013 Accepted: September 14, 2013 Published online: November 23, 2013
Abstract
As a major beverage in the world, the health benefits of drinking tea have been reported in numerous studies. The effects of green tea are mainly attributed to its polyphenol content, although caffeine, accounting for 2%-4%, appears to be related to the adaptation of mental energy by increasing alertness, attention and cognitive function, as well as elevating mood. L-Theanine, a unique amino acid in tea, has neuroprotective and mood effects. In addition, some studies on functional neuroanatomy and cerebral control of sexual function have demonstrated that the thalamus and hypothalamus play a role in emotional changes, memory and sexual behavior patterns. Our recent epidemiology research has unexpectedly found that tea drinking was positively related with sexual orgasm and sexual satisfaction in female hypertensive patients. We therefore hypothesize that long-term regular consumption of tea may play a role in sexual activity.
Core tip: Drinking tea has many beneficial effects on health due to its various components; some have neuroprotective and mood effects. However, no research so far has investigated the role of tea drinking in sexual activity. This paper hypothesizes a link between tea and sex by exploring the possible mechanism.
