Green tea fights heart disease
2008-07-03 09:02
London - A few cups of green tea each day
may help prevent heart disease, Greek researchers said on
Wednesday.
A study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular
Prevention and Rehabilitation showed further evidence of the
potential health benefits from a brew already linked to a
reduced risk of a range of cancers and other conditions.
The study showed that green tea improves blood flow and the
ability of arteries to relax, said Charalambos Vlachopoulos, a
cardiologist at the Athens Medical School in Greece who worked
on the study.
Other studies have shown that black tea also has benefits
for cardiovascular health.
The Greek team said they believed green tea might be even
better because it had higher quantities of beneficial compounds
called flavonoids - some of which are lost in the oxidation
process that black tea undergoes.
Flavonoids are also found in cocoa, tomatoes and grapes.
"A couple of cups a day would probably be a good dose for
people," Vlachopoulos said. "This is the first study to show
these effects for green tea."
The researchers gave 14 healthy volunteers either green tea,
diluted caffeine or hot water on three separate occasions and
then measured the function of endothelial cells lining the
circulatory system.
Eased bloodflow
These cells help relax arteries and ease blood flow.
"What is important is these effects are evident fairly
rapidly, within 30 minutes," Vlachopoulos said.
The measurements taken 30, 90 and 120 minutes following
consumption showed an almost immediate benefit among people who
had drunk green tea, he said.
Heart disease is the world's leading cause of death.
It is
caused by fatty deposits that harden and block arteries, high
blood pressure which damages blood vessels, and other factors.
While the researchers looked only at a short-term impact,
Vlachopolous said the team's not-yet-published studies suggest
the protection is long lasting.
"Green tea is consumed less in the Western world than black
tea, but it could be more beneficial because of the way it seems
to improve (circulatory) function," he said.