Green Tea Concentrate May Protect Against CAncer Development

Score another point for green tea. Aside from the growing number of health benefits of drinking tea that I’ve pointed out in the past, a preparation that consists of concentrated green tea catechins has also been found to boost the body’s production of enzymes believed to be crucial to the body’s production of detoxification enzymes. Polyphenon E, which contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in amounts equivalent to about 8-16 cups of green tea, increased the production of glutathione S-transferase group of enzymes.

GST enzymes are believed to be crucial to the body’s defense against cancer-causing chemicals and other toxins, according to the study’s lead investigator, H.-H. Sherry Chow, Ph.D., a research associate professor at the University of Arizona. They modify the cancer-causing molecules that would otherwise damage cellular DNA, thus rendering them inert.

“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.

For further reading, you might want to study the article published in the August issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention or see the press release from the American Association for Cancer Research.