A urologist at An Nan Hospital in Tainan has warned that specialty tea and coffee drinks should not be considered replacements for water.
Physician Lin Yu-wei (林育緯) on Friday said a college student who sought treatment for stomach pains and tea-colored urine was found to have six gall stones in his urinary tract.
The student said he drank three hand-shaken tea drinks per day instead of water, but always made sure to order the drinks without sugar.
Even sugarless drinks are not a replacement for water, Lin said.
Many such drinks contain phosphate and caffeine, which aid the body in expeling calcium, and tea-based drinks contain minute amounts of oxalic acid, which could lead to the formation of gallbladder stones in the urinary tract, he said.
Sugary drinks can make a person feel thirstier after drinking them, while excess consumption could lead to obesity, metabolic syndrome or cardiovascular diseases, Lin said.
While water is the best drink, other beverages are acceptable, especially as Tainan boasts of being the birthplace of several shaken drink brands, but other drinks should be consumed in moderation, he said.
Tea-colored urine showed that the student had not been drinking enough water, he said.
The student was prescribed medication to dissolve the stones, he said.
Urinary tract infections can be caused by a lack of sufficient hydration, unsanitary habits, compromised immune systems and not urinating for long periods of time, Lin said.
Women have a higher chance of urinary tract infections, he said, adding that they should stay hydrated, urinate regularly, maintain proper hygiene and refrain from staying up all night to reduce the risk of developing an infection.
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