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2007-8-28 18:22:00 |
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Sunday August 12, 2007 (Foodconsumer.org) -- A green tea preparation boosts production of key detoxification enzymes in people with low levels of these enyzmes, according to a new study, meaning that green tea may potentially protect against cancer-causing agents. Researchers at Arizona Cancer Center reported in the August issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention that their study of 42 people showed green tea catechins at doses equivalent to 8 to 16 cups of green tea boosted production of some enzymes belonging to the glutathione S-transferase (GST) family. GST enzymes are known to participate in the body’s defense against cancer-causing chemicals and other toxins, making the toxins non-carcinogenic, according to H.-H. Sherry Chow, Ph.D., the study’s lead investigator at the University of Arizona. “They actually convert known carcinogens to non-toxic chemicals, and studies have shown a correlation between deficient expression of these enzymes and increased risk of developing some cancers,?Chow said. According to the researchers, the green tea preparation can boost production of the detoxification enzymes by 80 percent in those who would have low levels of these enzymes without using the green tea preparation. But for those who had high levels of these enzymes, the green tea preparation reduced their production by 20 percent. In the study, 42 healthy individuals were asked not to use green tea or tea related products or cruciferous vegetables for four weeks. Then they were asked to take four polyphenon E capsules for a total of 800 milligrams of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a catechin known for its potent antioxidant activity. The activity of the enzymes was tested at baseline and the end of the study. Green tea is known to have certain preventative effects against certain cancers. Early studies by Rutgers University scientists for example have found in in-vitro studies that green tea components such as EGCG can promote apoptosis of cancerous cells, indicating that it has anticancer properties. An association between drinking green tea and incidence of certain cancers has been also reported in a number of studies. Drinking green tea may help people prevent cancers including prostate cancer, ovarian, and colon cancer among others. . ### . Copyright 2007 foodconsumer.org All rights reserved. Foodconsumer.org publishes daily news and reports on food and diet, some of which are not available from the mainstream news media. This article can be used by individuals and organizations for not-for-profit purposes without prior express permission from foodconsumer.org on condition that this article including the author and this copyright note should be used in entirety without alteration. |
