A chemical compound called epigallocatechin gallate showed much promise by killing cancerous cells during a phase 2 clinical study.

According to a study performed by researchers from the Mayo Clinic, the extract of the world-popular green tea has been effective in regulating the growth and proliferation of cancer cells in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).  The study was classified as a phase two human clinical trial, and the results were very promising indeed.

Epigallocatechin gallate vs. cancer cells

The compound epigallocatechin gallate was shown to have the ability to kill cancer cells in patients with CLL.  The compound prevented the cancer cells from surviving, thereby effectively reducing the total cancer cell count. The first phase of the human clinical trial of epigallocatechin gallate also showed similar, positive results.

What does this all mean?  According to one of the Mayo researchers, Dr. Tait Shanafelt, the two clinical trials show that epigallocatechin gallate showed some promise in stabilizing or normalizing the condition of patients with CLL.  While the compound is not classified as a definitive cure for the condition, it shows promise in slowing down the progress of the medical condition.

Instead of a cure, Mayo clinic researchers state that the compound should be viewed as a cancer preventive rather than cancer cure. And there was a catch: the patients that were subjected to the nutraceutical treatment were patients who had early signs of CLL (not advanced stage CLL).

The study involved thirty-six respondents and resulted in a fifty percent reduction of leukemia cell count at the end of the human clinical trial.  Including the patients from the first clinical trial, the total number of CLL patients involved in the study is forty-two.  A third clinical trial is needed before the Mayo Clinic researchers can make a definitive recommendation regarding the use of epigallocatechin gallate for CLL sufferers.

Other benefits of green tea

Tea is the second most drunk beverage in the world (right next to water). It contains natural antioxidants and caffeine (50% less than regular coffee).  And did I mention that it’s good for you for a lot of reasons?  It’s more than just a cancer preventive.  Here are some more health benefits of drinking green tea:

1. According to a study published by the American Medical Association, 40,000 respondents (from Japan; all of them drank up three cups of green tea per day) showed no evidence of cardiovascular anomalies and coronary heart problems since the study started back in the year 1994.  Not one individual from the 40,000 strong group developed any cancer, too!

2. Drinking green tea reduces the risk of dying from heart disease by twenty six percent (for males).  For women, drinking three to five cups of the precious elixir reduced the risk of dying from heart attacks and other cardiac problems by a staggering thirty-one percent.

3. Having chronic problems with sleep apnea (disturbances during sleep) and poor sleep quality, generally?   Reach for green tea.  US studies found out that chemical compounds in green tea can help prevent cognitive troubles resulting from poor sleep.

4. If you have trouble memorizing for school, don’t drink soda.  Instead, make yourself a nice, warm green tea brew.  There is no reason not to enjoy this beverage as it now comes in many natural flavors, like blueberry, cinnamon, etc.

All you have to do is choose your favorite flavor and use a French press to make an instant cup of tea.  Or you can just buy tea bags and allow the tea to infuse itself into the water for a few minutes.  I recommend this and that’s how I make my green tea.  The longer you keep the teabag in the hot water, the stronger the tea.

You can also add a bit of cinnamon to make the tea more interesting.  Since tea has caffeine, it can also help keep you more alert and awake when working or studying.   Green tea also has theanine, which has been shown to have beneficial effects in that region of the human brain that is responsible for alertness.

5. Suffering from poor immunity against common illnesses like the flu and the common cold?  Green tea is rich in chemical compounds called polyphenols, which can help boost your immune system.  Polyphenols can also help slow down aging by reducing the oxidative stress that the body experiences from free radicals.  Polyphenols are capable of disabling free radicals in the body.

6. Substituting polyphenol-rich beverages like green tea for soda and the like can also reverse the spike in body weight.  Because green tea doesn’t have much sugar, it does not contribute much to your weight (apart from its water content).  If you are having trouble with ‘water weight’, then all you have to do is to sip on the green tea during the day instead of downing a whole cup in one go.  But don’t forget: being well-hydrated is more important.  Also, water helps the body lose weight by helping in better digestion and also by helping the body burn calories more efficiently.

7. According to researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the antioxidants present in green tea can also penetrate the tissues in the eyes and do a world of good there.  Increased antioxidant activity in any body tissue has always been linked to decreased inflammation and healthier tissues and cells.

8. All kinds of tea come from the same camella plant – and tea always has more than ten times the amount of antioxidant chemicals than regular vegetables and fruits.  So drink up!  Green tea can also help prevent dangerous blood clots from forming in veins and arteries (which can lead to heart attack and stroke).  You also reduce the risk for atherosclerosis when you drink plenty of tea, say Dr. John Weisburger, the US’s pro-tea champion and veteran researcher (who is also, incidentally, already eighty two years old!)

Cancer prevention

In the spirit of global cancer prevention, here are some easy steps that you can prevent different types of cancer.

Prostate Cancer

• In a European study, it was discovered that regular intake of legumes and other vegetables lowered the risk of prostate cancer over the long term.
• Nutrients like vitamin D, isoflavanoids and selenium can help reduce prostate cancer by stopping the chemical processes that can lead to the formation of cancer cells.

Skin Cancer

• Increase your intake of antioxidants prior to sun exposure or take an umbrella with you when going out into the direct heat of the sun for a long period of time!
• Beta-carotene has been linked to reduced risk of developing cancerous skin cells.

Lung Cancer

• Long term tobacco smoke has been linked to lung cancer – so stop the habit before it leads to something much, much worse than just stained teeth.
• Regular exercise produces a protective effect on the body – including the respiratory system. Get enough exercise to strengthen your breathing apparatus.

Sources:
sciencedaily.com
blogs.webmd.com
blogs.webmd.com
webmd.com
webmd.com
webmd.com
webmd.com
webmd.com

Polyphenols, potent antioxidants found in shitake mushrooms, great tea and grape seed, may be the most effective natural immune booster the modern world has been looking for.

In a new study spearheaded by German scientists, it was found that a special juice mix composed of shitake mushrooms, green tea, grape seed and the extract from grape seeds may help reduce the occurrence of one of science’s most baffling problems: the common cold.

Because the common cold can be caused by literally hundreds of different pathogens, no single vaccination can be effective against it.  This is where the human immune system steps in: the stronger the immune system, the less likely for a person to suffer from the common cold.

Polyphenols vs. the common cold

The special juice mix had a high dose of natural polyphenols, one of nature’s most potent antioxidants.  According to researchers from Rudolf Wild GmbH, the proponent of the study, the respondents of their study are termed as being “immune impaired” because the test subjects have imbalanced diets, are overweight, etc.

Some respondents have also been exposed to physical stress. The researchers’ choice of respondents is important: because the subjects of the study are immune impaired, it is easier to measure their response to nutritional benefits.

Because nearly everyone, at least at one point in their lives, have been immune-impaired, the researchers stated that the results of their study can be accurately extrapolated for the rest of the population. This means that whatever benefits emerge from the study is potentially accessible to anyone who wishes to partake of the benefits of polyphenols.

The study reported a clear improvement in the test subjects who had been suffering from a general feeling of malaise, headaches, pain in the joints, nausea, hoarseness, coughing fits, etc.  The results were compared to a placebo group that showed little or no improvement throughout the testing period.

The testing ran for ten full days, with each respondent (in the test group) being given two doses of the polyphenol-rich juice mix.  All the respondents had a cold that started 24 hours or less before the 10-day study began.

Polyphenols as immune boosting compounds

The big question after the study was of course, “how did that happen?”  According to the researchers, the immune-boosting power of the polyphenol-rich juice mix may be due to the presence of the following compound, two of which have been associated with strengthening the body’s immune cells (T-cells):

• Catechines
• L-theanine
• 3-O glucoside
• Vitamin C (61.4 mg for every 500 milliliters of the juice mix)

The 3-O glucoside compound, found in grape seed, may also inhibit the formation of COX-1 enzyme and COX-2 enzyme. These two enzymes, known collectively as cyclooxygenase, have been linked with the increased incidence of tissue inflammation, ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer.

The critical role of antioxidants

Polyphenols have been long in the list of nature’s most efficient antioxidants.  Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemical compounds that protect the body’s cells from premature aging and destruction by removing free radicals.  Free radicals are by-products produced by the body’s cells – unfortunately, these by-products also have the ability to harm healthy cells.   Antioxidants reduce the damage by neutralizing these free radicals.

In addition to protecting the body’s cells from free radicals, antioxidants are also being studied for their potential role in reducing the incidence of breast cancer and also heart diseases.  In more recent years, it has also been linked to a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most common medical conditions of the senior population in the United States.

Other benefits of antioxidants

For many decades, science has been testing and continually exploring the other possible benefits of antioxidants to the human body.  Here are just some of the established benefits of antioxidants:

1. May reduce the incidence of heart disease.

2. Helps boost the immune system.

3. May help slow down internal and external signs of aging.

4. Antioxidants such as vitamin C may also help improve respiratory function, skin health and bone health.

5. Selenium, a natural antioxidant found in fruits, vegetables, grains and meat, has been linked to increased killer cell activities and increased production of antibodies. Selenium has also been associated with the decreased incidence of prostate cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

6. Carrots, which contain a lot of beta carotene, may help reduce night vision problems and bodily infections. Eating carrots and other similar vegetables also enhance the body’s natural development.

7. Vitamin E protects the fats necessary for normal cell growth, reproduction and functions. Is also being hailed as the vitamin for slowing down age-related medical conditions.

8. Lutein, a natural antioxidant, may help promote healthier eyes and clearer vision.

9. Lycopene, a popular antioxidant found in tomato-based products, is very efficient in cleaning up the free radicals in the body and is also readily absorbed by the human body.

10. Antioxidants may help slow down the progress of chronic, degenerative diseases such as adult-onset diabetes.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
news-medical.net
arthritis.co.za
faqs.org
carrotmuseum.co.uk
csiro.au
globalhealingcenter.com