Caffeine and tear secretion

[PG]

Caffeine stimulates tear secretion:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24240351

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22336631

http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/news...help-dry-eye#1

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/762706

[Hokucat]

Hi PG. This is very interesting and first I've heard of caffeine stimulating tear production. Perhaps it's possible the caffeine in the green tea and fresh lemon juice I drink twice daily is helping my eyes, since I make the tea REALLY strong. I know the lemon juice helps, cause when I don't add the juice for a few days my eyes feel drier. But I don't know for sure what all helps me in this concoction so I will look into the caffeine aspect further. Thanks so much for sharing this!

[PG]

Very interesting Hokucat. You did not drink caffeine before? I had been cutting it out, down to one cup of white tea.

[Hokucat]

I did drink green tea before my eye dryness got so much better from adding lemon juice, but not as much and consistently as I drink tea now, and now I make the tea stronger than before. Based on the research by Purdue University below and my recovery from severe dry eyes, I do think the combination of the lemon + green tea is key for me, not either thing by themselves. I've read elsewhere caffeine can be considered an antioxidant and antioxidants help dry eye, so it's possible the lemon is further strengthening this property of the green tea as the Purdue studies indicate.

http://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2007b/07...rruzziTea.html

https://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2009b/...iGreentea.html

[ltree]

I did drink green tea before my eye dryness got so much better from adding lemon juice, but not as much and consistently as I drink tea now, and now I make the tea stronger than before. Based on the research by Purdue University below and my recovery from severe dry eyes, I do think the combination of the lemon + green tea is key for me, not either thing by themselves. I've read elsewhere caffeine can be considered an antioxidant and antioxidants help dry eye, so it's possible the lemon is further strengthening this property of the green tea as the Purdue studies indicate.

http://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2007b/07...rruzziTea.html

https://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2009b/...iGreentea.html

Hello hokucat, could you tell me how much lemon juice and how strong the green tea needs to be, when you could feel it makes a difference to your condition? I drink hot water with a it of lemon juice, to take with other supplements in the morning, and your idea sounds like something worthy of trying. Thanks!

[Hokucat]

Hi ltree. I use a spoon to tap the tea bag against the bottom of the cup in the hot water ~100 times to get the tea really green and strong. Then I squeeze 1/6 slice of a large Meyer lemon into the tea right before I drink it. I drink this 2x daily. In the mornings I also crush a slice of fresh ginger and put it in the tea.

i hope this helps your eyes, but even if it does not, it sounds like research shows the lemon/tea combo is good for one's overall health. For example, after a few weeks of drinking the lemon/tea, a wart I had on my leg for over a year that had been getting larger started shrinking and completely went away after a few months! With this and the improvement in my eyes, I feel strongly the lemon/tea boosts ones immune system and helps purify the body.

[ltree]

Hi ltree. I use a spoon to tap the tea bag against the bottom of the cup in the hot water ~100 times to get the tea really green and strong. Then I squeeze 1/6 slice of a large Meyer lemon into the tea right before I drink it. I drink this 2x daily. In the mornings I also crush a slice of fresh ginger and put it in the tea.

i hope this helps your eyes, but even if it does not, it sounds like research shows the lemon/tea combo is good for one's overall health. For example, after a few weeks of drinking the lemon/tea, a wart I had on my leg for over a year that had been getting larger started shrinking and completely went away after a few months! With this and the improvement in my eyes, I feel strongly the lemon/tea boosts ones immune system and helps purify the body.

I see, so the green tea is quite strong. I have some green tea powder and am starting to take it, even adding it to my black tea... I am more used to taking it with cream and milk, but will try to add the lemon and tea combo more often. We'll see.