Tea can cause anemia. Is that true?

Tea is a daily drink that has many benefits. This beverage contains antioxidants that are beneficial for health. Some studies also have shown that tea can prevent some diseases such as osteoporosis. However, some articles also mentioned that tea can cause anemia. Is that true?

Apparently, tea was able to inhibit absorption of iron. Tea contains tannin. These substances can bind to non-heme iron to form iron-tannate complexes that can not be absorbed by our body. In the other form, heme iron can not be bound by tannin so that heme iron absorption is not affected by the presence of tannin substances.

Therefore, tea is not recommended to be drunk by people who are dependent on the source of iron from vegetables, milk, or iron supplements. Vegetables, milk, and iron supplements contain iron in the form of non-heme iron. Tea can cause anemia because it inhibit absorbtion of non heme iron. Infants and children who can not eat meat, should not drink tea after a meal. Iron needs of infants depends heavily on vegetables, milk and supplements. People who are undergoing treatment with iron supplements is also not advisable to drink tea after taking medicine. Drinking tea after meals is also must be avoided by vegetarians because source of iron from the vegetables will be difficult to be absorbed if it bound by tannin substances. What about us who ate meat? We do not need to worry for tea after a meal. Existing iron in meat is heme iron form so that iron absorption is not affected by tea drinking.