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The Importance of Prostate Health

Next to water, green tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world. It has been used for centuries in India and China for its medicinal purposes and is now used across the world for this reason. Accounting for almost 20 percent of the world’s tea consumption, green tea (Camellia sinensis) is made from the same plant as black and oolong teas but is not fermented. Some studies suggest that compounds in green tea called polyphenols are the active constituents and account for the tea’s many health benefits. A specific polyphenol called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of the more widely researched components of green tea. Black and oolong teas may also be beneficial; however, other studies examining all three types of tea often show that green tea is more effective than the other two. In fact, regular consumption of the beverage can protect against the formation of heart disease, some forms of cancer, accelerated aging, and even the common cold. SUPPORTS PROSTATE HEALTH Drinking green tea may also reduce the risk of advanced prostate cancer, according to a new study.

Green tea’s EGCG may help stop cancer cell growth and prevent cancerous tumors from spreading. A variety of factors may contribute to prostate cancer developing, including diet, lifestyle, and the environment. Incidence of prostate cancer is low in Asia, where green tea is a popular beverage, and the authors of the new study decided to evaluate green tea’s effects on prostate cancer development in Japanese men. The authors looked at data from the Japan Public Health Center–based Prospective Study, which began in 1990 and included nearly 50,000 Japanese men. The men answered questions about how many cups of green tea they drank each day, and for 14 years, they were followed for a variety of health factors.

The study results, which were published online in September 2007 in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found that men who drank 5 or more cups of green tea per day had less risk of developing advanced prostate cancer compared with men who drank less or no tea. In a second study, 501 Asian American women between the ages of 25 and 74 years with breast cancer were compared with 594 healthy women of similar descent and age. Detailed information on diet (including consumption of green and black teas) and lifestyle was collected on all participants. Women who regularly consumed green tea had a significantly lower incidence of breast cancer compared with women who rarely drank green tea (less than once a month).

The risk of breast cancer decreased with increasing intake of green tea. Drinking about half a cup of green tea per day was associated with a 47 percent decrease in breast cancer risk compared with drinking no green tea at all. COLON AND LUNG CANCER PREVENTION In addition to lowering the risk of breast cancer, other studies suggest green tea may prevent colon cancer and lung cancer. It also appears to help stimulate the immune system and may be useful in supporting the health of people with poor immune function or infection.

From Stephen Holt, M.D., MRCP (UK), FRCP (C), FACP, FACG, FACN, FACAM, author Anti-Aging Triad Who's Who in Anti-Aging (www.worldhealth.net)/ Physician, Integrative and Anti-Aging Medicine, Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine and Nutrition, New York /Board Member, Integrative Medicine of Asia /Board Member, European Society of Anti-Aging Medicine (www.esam.org) /Medical Liaison, American Clinical Board of Nutrition (www.acbn.org) / EDUCATION-Honors Graduate 1972, Liverpool University Medical School, England UK /Higher Training Internal Medicine in Gastroenterology, Therapeutics/Clinical Pharmacology and Nutrition /Board Certified Internist and Sub specialist in USA, UK, Economic Union and Canada (Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine)

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