Tea: Can Tea Drinking Reverse Endothelial Dysfunction?

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Article Title:

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Tea: Can Tea Drinking Reverse Endothelial Dysfunction?

Article Description:

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Endothelial dysfunction is a precursor to heart disease. It is

often seen years before actual heart disease. In fact, it is

estimated that about half of those over the age of 40 have

endothelial dysfunction.

Additional Article Information:

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811 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: 2007-03-13 10:36:00

Written By: Marcus Stout

Copyright: 2007

Contact Email: mailto:Marcus.Stout@...

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Tea: Can Tea Drinking Reverse Endothelial Dysfunction?

Copyright © 2007 Marcus Stout

Golden Moon Tea

http://www.GoldenMoonTea.com

Endothelial dysfunction is a precursor to heart disease. It is

often seen years before actual heart disease. In fact, it is

estimated that about half of those over the age of 40 have

endothelial dysfunction.

The endothelium is the cells that line the inner surface of all

blood vessels including arteries and veins. When the endothelium

is functioning properly, it is responsible for mediation of

coagulation, platelet adhesion, immune function, and control of

volume and electrolyte content of the intravascular and extra

vascular spaces.

When the endothelium does not function properly, veins and

arteries have difficulty dilating properly. These problems are

thought to be the precursor to atherosclerosis, which is a

leading cause of heart disease.

Several things can cause endothelial dysfunction, including

cigarette smoking and diseases like high blood pressure and

diabetes. Diets high in fat and cholesterol can also affect the

function of the endothelium.

One interesting piece of research surrounding protecting

endothelial function is a study reported by the American Heart

Association. This study examined patients who already had

coronary artery disease. Sixty-six patients with heart disease

participated in the study, which provided them with a beverage

supplement each day.

Some of the participants received a supplement of black tea while

others received only water. They were tested 2 hours after

receipt of their first supplement and 4 weeks after they had been

receiving the supplements daily.

This study concluded that tea had a positive effect on artery

dilation as early as two hours after consumption. In addition,

long term consumption of tea helped artery dilation long term, as

well. The patients who received the water supplement showed no

improvement.

In addition, some patients were treated with a supplement of just

caffeine, to try and determine if the caffeine in tea was the

ingredient that provided the effect.

The study showed that the patients receiving a caffeine

supplement did not show the improvement in artery dilation that

was seen by the participants who drank tea. So, we know that tea

contains other important substances that help improve endothelial

function besides just caffeine.

The substances likely responsible for tea's ability to improve

endothelial function are tea's anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are

important to our bodies for many reasons. The most important

function of anti-oxidants is the scavenging of free radicals.

Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that are formed as

a by-product of our digestive process.

Left unchecked, they can damage our cells and DNA, causing

damage, aging and disease. But, anti-oxidants scavenge these free

radicals before they can cause damage.

In addition to the powerful anti-oxidants contained in tea,

fruits and vegetables contain anti-oxidants as does coffee, wine

and chocolate. Ensuring that your diet is full of anti-oxidants

is important to many aspects of your health.

Your diet is important, in particular, to preventing or treating

heart disease. In addition to ensuring that your diet is rich in

anti-oxidants, there are some other things you can do to help

your heart. It's important to remove trans fats from your diet

entirely.

Read product labels looking for the words hydrogenated or

partially hydrogenated. If you see these words in the

ingredients, there are trans fats, which are believed to have a

particularly negative effect on your endothelial function.

Reduce your level of other saturated fats, too. This means

reducing the amount of red meat and egg yolks you consume; making

the bulk of your protein come from fish, poultry and low fat

dairy products. Choosing lean meats that are lower in fat and

cholesterol can make a big difference in the health of your

heart.

Another important factor in reducing endothelial dysfunction is

controlling your weight. Eat right and get regular exercise to

ensure that your weight falls within a normal range. Losing

weight can help control your blood pressure and cholesterol

levels, too, which are important to ensuring proper endothelial

function and preventing heart disease. Exercise is especially

important.

Exercise can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, help you

lose weight and help you gain muscle. Gaining muscle mass can

help you burn more calories even when resting and can help you

stay strong as you age. Aim for some form of cardiovascular

exercise 3-5 times a week and strength training 2-3 times a

week.

And, of course, don't forget your daily dose of tea. Whether you

like it hot or iced, tea is a great way to help get your dose of

anti-oxidants and protect your heart. You can choose black tea,

or if you prefer, green tea. Green tea, in particular has been

linked to the prevention of many diseases, including some forms

of cancer.

And, while black tea is still the most popular form of tea in the

Western world, green tea is gaining popularity rapidly because of

its health benefits. But, whatever tea you choose, you can be

sure that you're protecting your health, and your heart.

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Marcus Stout is President of the Golden Moon

Tea Company. For more information about tea,

(http://www.goldenmoontea.com/greentea)

green tea (http://www.goldenmoontea.com/blacktea)

and black tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com