{"id":685478,"date":"2025-08-16T17:35:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T14:35:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-hot-drinks-really-give-you-cancer-a-gut-expert-explains\/"},"modified":"2025-08-16T17:35:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T14:35:16","slug":"do-hot-drinks-really-give-you-cancer-a-gut-expert-explains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-hot-drinks-really-give-you-cancer-a-gut-expert-explains\/","title":{"rendered":"Do hot drinks really give you cancer? A gut expert explains"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a43d76320235\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a43d76320235\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-hot-drinks-really-give-you-cancer-a-gut-expert-explains\/#Whats_the_link_between_hot_drinks_and_cancer\" >What&#8217;s the link between hot drinks and cancer?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-hot-drinks-really-give-you-cancer-a-gut-expert-explains\/#How_do_hot_drinks_cause_cancer\" >How do hot drinks cause cancer?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-hot-drinks-really-give-you-cancer-a-gut-expert-explains\/#Does_how_much_you_drink_matter\" >Does how much you drink matter?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-hot-drinks-really-give-you-cancer-a-gut-expert-explains\/#So_whats_a_safe_temperature\" >So, what&#8217;s a safe temperature?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-hot-drinks-really-give-you-cancer-a-gut-expert-explains\/#Tips_to_consume_hot_drinks_safely\" >Tips to consume hot drinks safely<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/cup-of-coffee.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/cup-of-coffee.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/cup-of-coffee.jpg\" alt=\"cup of coffee\" title=\"Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>When you order a coffee, do you ask for it to be &#8220;extra hot?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Whether you enjoy tea, coffee or something else, hot drinks are a comforting and often highly personal ritual. The exact temperature to brew tea or serve coffee for the best flavor is <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2022-11-30\/ordering-extra-hot-coffee-does-it-change-flavour\/101708102\" target=\"_blank\">hotly debated<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But there may be something else you&#8217;re not considering: your health.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, hot drinks can be too hot\u2014and are even linked to cancer. So, let&#8217;s take a look at the evidence.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_the_link_between_hot_drinks_and_cancer\"><\/span>What&#8217;s the link between hot drinks and cancer?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There is no evidence for a link between hot drinks and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20395127\/\" target=\"_blank\">throat<\/a> cancer and the evidence for a link between hot drinks and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22296352\/\" target=\"_blank\">stomach cancer<\/a> is <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC2363606\/pdf\/84-6691561a.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">unclear<\/a>. But there is a link between hot drinks and cancers of the &#8220;food pipe&#8221; or <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.canceraustralia.gov.au\/cancer-types\/oesophageal-cancer\" target=\"_blank\">esophagus<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In 2016, the International Agency for Research on Cancer <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iarc.who.int\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pr244_E.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">classified<\/a> drinking very hot beverages, meaning above 65\u00b0C, as &#8220;probably carcinogenic to humans&#8221;\u2014this is the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/monographs.iarc.who.int\/list-of-classifications\" target=\"_blank\">same risk<\/a> category as emissions from indoor wood smoke or eating a lot of red meat.<\/p>\n<p>The agency&#8217;s report found it was the temperature, not the drinks, that were responsible.<\/p>\n<p>This is based mainly on evidence from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC3947123\/\" target=\"_blank\">South America<\/a>, where studies found a link between drinking a lot of mat\u00e9\u2014a traditional herbal drink usually drunk <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iarc.who.int\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pr244_E.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">at about<\/a> 70\u00b0C\u2014and a higher risk of esophageal cancer.<\/p>\n<p>Similar studies in the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC7477845\/\" target=\"_blank\">Middle East<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35768549\/\" target=\"_blank\">Africa<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/19123468\/\" target=\"_blank\">Asia<\/a> have also supported the link between drinking very hot beverages and developing esophageal cancer.<\/p>\n<p>However, until recently we didn&#8217;t have substantial research exploring this link in Europe and other Western populations.<\/p>\n<p>This year, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41416-025-02953-2\" target=\"_blank\">a large study<\/a> of almost half a million adults in the United Kingdom confirmed drinking higher amounts of very hot drinks (tea and coffee) was associated with esophageal cancer.<\/p>\n<p>The study found that someone who drank eight or more cups a day of very hot tea or coffee was almost six times more likely to develop esophageal cancer, compared to someone who didn&#8217;t drink hot drinks.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_hot_drinks_cause_cancer\"><\/span>How do hot drinks cause cancer?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Drinking a lot of very hot drinks can damage cells in the esophagus lining, and it&#8217;s believed over time this can lead to cancer developing. Researchers <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/ijc.24445\" target=\"_blank\">first proposed<\/a> this link almost 90 years ago.<\/p>\n<p>What we know about how hot drinks can damage the esophagus mainly comes from animal studies.<\/p>\n<p>Very hot water may accelerate cancer growth. One <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.yexmp.2016.02.005\" target=\"_blank\">animal study<\/a> from 2016 studied mice that were prone to developing cancer. Mice given very hot water (70\u00b0C) were more likely to develop precancerous growths in the esophagus, and sooner, compared to mice given water at lower temperatures.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1152\/ajpgi.1999.276.6.G1322\" target=\"_blank\">Another theory<\/a> is that heat damage to the esophagus lining weakens its normal barrier, increasing the risk of further damage from gastric acid reflux (from the stomach). Over time, this chronic damage can increase the chance of esophageal cancer developing.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_how_much_you_drink_matter\"><\/span>Does how much you drink matter?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The risk of cancer may depend on how much hot liquid you drink in one sitting and how quickly. It seems drinking a lot in one go is more likely to damage the esophagus by causing a heat injury.<\/p>\n<p>In <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/gut.13.1.24\" target=\"_blank\">one study<\/a>, researchers measured the temperature inside the esophagus of people drinking hot coffee at different temperatures.<\/p>\n<p>They found the size of the sip the person took had more impact than how hot the drink was. A very big sip (20 milliliters) of 65\u00b0C coffee increased the temperature inside the esophagus by up to 12\u00b0C. Over time, large sips can lead to sustained heat injury that can damage cells.<\/p>\n<p>The occasional small sip of coffee at 65\u00b0C isn&#8217;t likely to result in any long-term problems. But over years, drinking large amounts of very hot drinks could very well increase the risk of esophageal cancer.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_whats_a_safe_temperature\"><\/span>So, what&#8217;s a safe temperature?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/1750-3841.14699\" target=\"_blank\">brewing temperatures<\/a> for drinks such as coffee are very high\u2014often close to the boiling point of water.<\/p>\n<p>For example, takeaway hot drinks <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/foodsci.oregonstate.edu\/sites\/agscid7\/files\/foodsci\/attachments\/hot-bev-temp.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">may sometimes<\/a> be served at very high temperatures (around 90\u00b0C) to allow for cooling when people drink them later at the office or home.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18226454\/\" target=\"_blank\">One study from the United States<\/a> calculated the ideal temperature for coffee, factoring in the risk of heat injury to the esophagus while preserving flavor and taste. The researchers came up with an optimum temperature of 57.8\u00b0C.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_to_consume_hot_drinks_safely\"><\/span>Tips to consume hot drinks safely<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Slow down, take your time and enjoy.<\/p>\n<p>Allowing time for a very hot drink to cool is important and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/1750-3841.14699\" target=\"_blank\">research has shown<\/a> a hot drink&#8217;s temperature can drop by 10\u00b0C\u201315\u00b0C in five minutes.<\/p>\n<p>Other things that may help cool a hot drink:<\/p>\n<p>Finally, small sips are a good idea to test the temperature, given we know having a large amount has a significant impact on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC1411981\/\" target=\"_blank\">the temperature inside the esophagus<\/a> and potential damage to its lining.<\/p>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium my-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Conversation<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use href=\"https:\/\/medx.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n                                                This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/do-hot-drinks-really-give-you-cancer-a-gut-expert-explains-261256\" target=\"_blank\">original article<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/261256\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/>\n                                            <\/p>\n<p>                                        <!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>\n                                                 <strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n                                                 Do hot drinks really give you cancer? A gut expert explains (2025, August 16)<br \/>\n                                                 retrieved 16 August 2025<br \/>\n                                                 from https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2025-08-hot-cancer-gut-expert.html\n                                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                            This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n                                            part may be reproduced without the written permission. 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Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/news\/2025-08-hot-cancer-gut-expert.html\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain When you order a coffee, do you ask for it to be &#8220;extra hot?&#8221; Whether you enjoy tea, coffee or something else, hot drinks are a comforting and often highly personal ritual. The exact temperature to brew tea or serve coffee for the best flavor is hotly debated. But there may&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":685479,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/cup-of-coffee.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-685478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=685478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/685479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=685478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=685478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=685478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}