More evidence of green tea benefits -

[inspectoring]

http://www.escardio.org/about/press/pre ... n-tea.aspx

ESCARDIO is the european version of ACC (American College of Cardiology) and while drinking my ito-en gyokuro I stumbled upon this. Usually I am very careful to when it comes to nonscientific research and claims. However, this is a VERY WELL RESPECTED soruce.

Please read this link. The author's email is at the bottom of the paper.
Here is the copy and paste of it -


More evidence for the beneficial effect of green tea on risk factors for heart disease has emerged in a new study reported in the latest issue of European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation.

1 The study found that the consumption of green tea rapidly improves the function of (endothelial) cells lining the circulatory system; endothelial dysfunction is a key event in the progression of atherosclerosis. The study, performed by Dr Nikolaos Alexopoulos and colleagues at the 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School in Greece, was a randomised trial involving the diameter measurement (dilatation) of the brachial artery of healthy volunteers on three separate occasions - after taking green tea, caffeine, and hot water (for a placebo effect). The measurements were taken at 30, 90 and 120 minutes after consumption. Dilatation of the brachial artery as a result of increased blood flow (following a brief period of ischaemia of the upper limb) is related to endothelial function and is known to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk.

2.Results showed that endothelium-dependent brachial artery dilatation increased significantly after drinking green tea, with a peak increase of 3.9 per cent 30 minutes after consumption. The effect of caffeine consumption (or hot water) was not significant.

While black tea has been associated with improved short and long-term endothelial performance, this is the first time that green tea has been shown to have a short-term beneficial effect on the large arteries. Another study has already shown that green tea reverses endothelial dysfunction in smokers.

Green tea, which originates in China but is now consumed throughout the world, is made with pure leaves, and has undergone little oxidisation during processing. The cardiovascular benefits of all teas - as well as dark chocolate and red wine - are attributed to the flavonoids they contain and their antioxidant activity.3 However, says investigator Dr Charalambos Vlachopoulos, flavonoids in green tea are probably more potent antioxidants than in black tea because there has been no oxidisation.

"These findings have important clinical implications," says Dr Vlachopoulos. "Tea consumption has been associated with reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in several studies. 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 endothelial function. In this same context, recent studies have also shown potent anticarcinogenic effects of green tea, attributed to its antioxidant properties."
Notes to editor

1. Alexopoulos N, Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, et al. The acute effect of green tea consumption on endothelial function in healthy individuals. European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation 2008; 15: 300-305.

* The EJCPR is the official journal of the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation of the European Society of Cardiology.

2. The study measured flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery, which is predominantly dependent on the release of nitric oxide from the endothelium and represents a well accepted estimate of endothelial function. Measurement of the brachial arteries was performed by high-resolution ultrasound.

3. Flavonoids are naturally found in many plants and have been shown to have many different biological effects in humans. Their antioxidant effects have been found in red wine, red grapes and dark chocolate. Oxidative stress, which has been associated with many human diseases, can be reversed by antioxidant intake.

* More information on this press release and a PDF of the paper are available from the ESC press office
* The corresponding author of the study is Dr Charalambos Vlachopoulos, Athens Medical School, Athens Tel: + 30 6972 272727 cvlachop@otenet.gr

[silverneedles]

study on 14 healthy people.............................

with temporary dilation of artery.......

end benefit = ???
long term benefit = ???

benefit to patients with cardiovascular disease = ??????

last time i looked i couldn't find any long term studies or reliable studies not based on questionnaires
what i want to know is:
does it decrease mortality or incidence of something ??????

[inspectoring]

study on 14 healthy people.............................

with temporary dilation of artery.......

end benefit = ???
long term benefit = ???

benefit to patients with cardiovascular disease = ??????

last time i looked i couldn't find any long term studies or reliable studies not based on questionnaires
what i want to know is:
does it decrease mortality or incidence of something ??????

Well 1st we know that atherosclerosis is a corner stone of Coronary artery disease. Also - one of the initiating events in plaque formation in CAD is Atherosclerosis due to endothelial dysfunction. This group indirectly studied the effect of green tea on endothelial function by measuring the effect of green tea on brachial artery dialation. This MAY mean that green tea may modify/affect/? one of the key players in the plaque formation.

I understand that you want to know the end point - the decrease in mortality or CAD or stroke or etc. The point here is that tea directly has an effect on one of the major players in CAD. Soon, with more studies and funding and volunteers (thousands of pts) - we may be able to establish more links (if they exist) between flavinoids from green tea and CAD/atherosclerosis/stroke etc.
Its a long road, this is just one brick.

[silverneedles]

well, atherosclerosis=plaque in blood vessel wall is from endothelial damage = break in vessel lining which stimulates the formation of plaque (deposition of various materials,lipids, growth of smooth muscle) that eventually grow and block the vessel;

or just "favorable" conditions - high "cholesterol" which will get deposited in the vessels anyway. or if there's a break in the vessel wall, plaque will form vasodilation or not.

also the formation of plaque is a complex and a pretty time consuming process manifesting in adulthood/old - provided no familial hypercholesterolemia, diabetes , bad diet, smoking, or other factors...

so far the proven major factors in cardiovascular death are smoking and bad diet. if those issues are addressed it would do a major decrease in disease - cancers and CAD - and improve quality of life... but prevention is not high on the list for most people (but hey, i just ate 6 donuts... )
otherwise we are left with patching it up when things go wrong.

call me skeptical but i don't see that tea was proven to have any effect in formation of atherosclerosis.

-its why i was looking for long term studies at one point (found nothing... if someone has something ?