Author: Suzuki, Etsuji ; Yorifuji, Takashi ; Takao, Soshi ; et al. Annals of Epidemiology Oct2009, Vol. 19 Issue 10, p732-739 8p

Description: Purpose: To investigate the association between green tea consumption and mortality from all causes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among elderly people. Methods: In a population-based, prospective cohort study, a total of 14,001 elderly residents (aged 65-84 years), randomly chosen from all 74 municipalities in Shizuoka, Japan, completed questionnaires that included items about frequency of green tea consumption. They were followed for up to 6 years, from December 1999 to March 2006. Consequently, 12,251 subjects were analyzed to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality, cancer, and CVD. Results: Among 64,002 person-years, 1,224 deaths were identified (follow-up rate, 71.6%). The multivariate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CVD mortality compared those who consumed seven or more cups per day with those who consumed less than one cup per day, were 0.24 (0.14-0.40), 0.30 (0.15-0.61), and 0.18 (0.08-0.40) for total participants, men, and women, respectively. Although green tea consumption was not inversely associated with cancer mortality, green tea consumption and colorectal cancer mortality were inversely associated with a moderate dose-response relationship. Conclusions: Green tea consumption is associated with reduced mortality from all causes and CVD. This study also suggests that green tea could have protective effects against colorectal cancer.

“The conclusions from this study are bold and quite powerful!  Those who consumed 7 or more cups of fresh green tea per day had a significant decrease in the amount of all cause mortality (stroke, cancer, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes) and cardiovascular disease.  This study followed about 13,636 people for 6 years to obtain this information.  Regular consumption of green tea has short-term and long-term health benefits.”  – Josh Smith

Green tea contains several antioxidants that have been shown to curb inflammation, prevent cell death, and possibly even ward off cancer.

In the current study, Dr. Stephen D. Hsu of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and colleagues tested the effects of green tea’s predominate antioxidant known as EGCG in laboratory mice with type 1 diabetes and Sjogren’s syndrome, which damages moisture-producing glands causing dry mouth and eyes.

They fed the mice plain water or water spiked with 0.2 percent EGCG.

EGCG, the investigators found, reduced the severity and delayed the onset of salivary gland damage associated with Sjogren’s syndrome — a condition with no known cure.

EGCG also dramatically slowed the development of type 1 diabetes in the rodents. At 16 weeks, they found, 25 percent of the mice given the green tea compound had developed diabetes, compared to 67 percent of the mice given water. At 22 weeks, 45 percent of the EGCG group had diabetes, while 78 percent of the control group did.

“Our study focused on Sjogren’s syndrome, so learning that EGCG also can prevent and delay insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes was a big surprise,” Hsu said in a statement.

Both type 1 diabetes and Sjogren’s syndrome are autoimmune diseases, which cause the body to attack itself.

Hsu and his team also found that the salivary gland cells that were under autoimmune attack were actually multiplying, but EGCG slowed this proliferation. Such rapid cell division has also been shown to occur in psoriasis.

The current study supports earlier research showing EGCG’s impact on helping prevent autoimmune disease, the researchers conclude.