Green tea and prostate cancer

Another reason to drink green tea – at least for men. A recent study reports that consumption of green tea may slow down the progression of prostate cancer. The study looked at 26 men, aged 41 to 72 years old who were diagnosed with prostate cancer and due to undergo radical prostatectomy.

The study patients were given a daily dose of four capsules of Polyphenon E, which is equivalent to about 12 cups of concentrated normally brewed green tea, for 12 to 73 days until the day before surgery. They were monitored for serum concentrations of the following biomarkers: hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prostate specific antigen (PSA). HGF and VEGF levels are especially relevant because they are good prognostic indicators of metastasis.

The results showed that consumption of Polyphenon E led to a significant reduction in levels of HGF, VEGF and PSA markers, even up to 30% in some cases.

According to researcher Dr. James A. Cardelli, professor and director of basic and translational research in the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport

“The investigational agent used in the trial, Polyphenon E (provided by Polyphenon Pharma) may have the potential to lower the incidence and slow the progression of prostate cancer”.

Green tea is rich in antioxidant phytochemicals such as polyphenols, catechins and flavanols. It is said that green tea contains more antioxidant compared to other drinks such as black tea, wine or hot chocolate because of the minimal oxidation it undergoes during its production. This is not the first study to demonstrate the health benefits of green tea. Several studies have demonstrated the cardiovascular benefits of green tea.

Another study by Italian researchers “demonstrated that consumption of green tea polyphenols reduced the risk of developing prostate cancer in men with high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN).”

Japanese researchers reported that green can prevent lifestyle-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

In 2003, Dutch researchers reported that tea is “the most consumed drink in the world after water, well ahead of coffee, beer, wine and carbonated soft drinks.” Unfortunately, this trend has changed since then as carbonated drinks became more and more popular.

Currently, further studies are being conducted using Polyphenon E, including one in breast cancer patients.

Dr. Cardelli continues to say:

“There is reasonably good evidence that many cancers are preventable, and our studies using plant-derived substances support the idea that plant compounds found in a healthy diet can play a role in preventing cancer development and progression.”