Correlation between fluorine content in tea and bone assessed using neutron activation analysis in a Canadian urban population

Brewed tea from Canadian brands was analyzed for fluorine content using neutron activation analysis. Black tea contained (mean ± SEM) 5.4 ± 0.2 μg F/ml, while green tea contained less, 3.7 ± 0.5 μg F/ml. Using the numbers from black tea, and our unique data from non-invasive measurements of fluoride in bone, we estimate that tea drinkers in Hamilton are consuming, on average, 25 μg F/kg bw per day, the equivalent of approximately 1.5 cups of tea per day. (author)