Posted on 06/02/2011 12:40:16 PM PDT by decimon
CORVALLIS, Ore. – One of the beneficial compounds found in green tea has a powerful ability to increase the number of “regulatory T cells” that play a key role in immune function and suppression of autoimmune disease, according to new research in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
This may be one of the underlying mechanisms for the health benefits of green tea, which has attracted wide interest for its ability to help control inflammation, improve immune function and prevent cancer.
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In this study, OSU scientists did experiments with a compound in green tea, a polyphenol called EGCG, which is believed to be responsible for much of its health benefits and has both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer characteristics. They found it could cause a higher production of regulatory T cells. Its effects were not as potent as some of those produced by prescription drugs, but it also had few concerns about long-term use or toxicity.
“EGCG may have health benefits through an epigenetic mechanism, meaning we aren’t changing the underlying DNA codes, but just influencing what gets expressed, what cells get turned on,” Ho said. “And we may be able to do this with a simple, whole-food approach.”
Laboratory studies done with mice, Ho said, showed that treatment with EGCG significantly increased the numbers and frequencies of regulatory T cells found in spleen and lymph notes, and in the process helped to control the immune response.
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(Excerpt) Read more at oregonstate.edu ...
Ping
Green tea is good for you. Sugar is “supposedly” bad for you. So, stupid humans sweeten their green tea with phenylketonurics, aka Equal, etc.
Some more information on health effects of tea in general here, including info about adding citrus and milk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_tea
Don’t think this is a cure-all, because the immune system is insanely complicated, and while perhaps helping some people for some problems, it may actually make other problems in other people worse.
So, for now, put this under the heading of interesting, but not therapeutic.
Stupid humans sweeten their green tea with people who have phenylketonuria? That is pretty stupid.
“...it may actually make other problems in other people worse.”
For example?
““...it may actually make other problems in other people worse.”
For example?”
Gives me the trots.
“T cells found in spleen and lymph notes”
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LOL. Drink green tea so your lymph notes will be on key?
Thanks.
I like this part: “The amino acid L-theanine, found almost exclusively in the tea plant, and in the highest doses in green tea, actively alters the attention networks of the brain, according to results of human trials announced in September 2007. It has been proposed that theanine is absorbed by the small intestine and crosses the blood-brain barrier, where it affects the brain’s neurotransmitters and increases alpha brain-wave activity. The result is a calmer, yet more alert, state of mind.”
That’s like drinking your meditation. ;-)
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LOL. Drink green tea so your lymph notes will be on key?
Maybe they meant 'nymph notes.'
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11786-green-tea-can-be-harmful-in-large-quantities.html
Green tea is good for you, but only if drunk in moderation. While the polyphenols in green tea are credited with preventing heart disease and cancer, it seems they can cause liver and kidney damage if consumed in very large quantities, a review of studies into the toxicity of polyphenols has shown.
I can’t think of anything that isn’t harmful if consumed to excess.
Yes, but green tea extracts are commonly in excess, as much as five times the recommended dose. So it is best to drink the tea, not take it in a pill.
By all means drink the green tea, but leave the brown acid and the yellow snow alone!
“Yes, but green tea extracts are commonly in excess, as much as five times the recommended dose. So it is best to drink the tea, not take it in a pill.”
As part of my anti prostate cancer regimen I’ve taken green tea capsules with the EGCG equal to 8-10 cups of tea for about 5 years and my liver and kidney stats are normal. I like supplements because the concentration of the ingredients is standardized and they’re easier than making tea all day. I guess it depends on how “excess” is defined...
As I said originally, different people with different conditions. For you it might be fine and dandy.
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I drink green tea with vanilla soy milk...no sugar needed.
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