Could Green Tea Provide a Cure for Cancer?

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Article Title:

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Could Green Tea Provide a Cure for Cancer?

Article Description:

====================

Cancer is a complex, devastating illness which is responsible for

the deaths of millions of people each year. For decades,

scientists have been attempting to uncover some of the secrets of

cancer in order to find a cure. While, so far, a cure has been

out of reach, there appear to be some natural remedies which can

prevent or slow cancer growth. One of those remedies is a

beverage which is commonplace in many Asian

households†& quot;tea.

Additional Article Information:

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1025 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: 2006-12-07 10:12:00

Written By: Marcus Stout

Copyright: 2006

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

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Could Green Tea Provide a Cure for Cancer?

Copyright © 2006 Marcus Stout

Golden Moon Tea

http://www.GoldenMoonTea.com

Cancer is a complex, devastating illness which is responsible for

the deaths of millions of people each year. For decades,

scientists have been attempting to uncover some of the secrets of

cancer in order to find a cure. While, so far, a cure has been

out of reach, there appear to be some natural remedies which can

prevent or slow cancer growth. One of those remedies is a

beverage which is commonplace in many Asian households " " tea.

The History of an Anti-Cancer Tool

Tea has been a dietary staple for 500,000 years. People in India

and China appear to be among the first to have enjoyed this

beloved beverage. But it " s one variety in

particular " " Camellia sinensis " " which appears to have a number of

health benefits associated with it. That variety is also known

as green tea.

What Makes Green Tea Special

Green tea is unique in that it is produced from unfermented

leaves and it contains a high concentration of polyphenols, which

are chemicals that can serve as antioxidants. Antioxidants are

essentially on a search-and-destroy mission against free

radicals, compounds which compromise DNA and destroy cells. Free

radicals are often to blame for the development of cancer as well

as heart disease. The antioxidants immobilize free radicals and

inhibit the damage often associated with them.

Medicinal Uses of Green Tea

For years, Asians have used green tea to promote a healthy

lifestyle. It helps to promote good digestion, improve

concentration, and promote the excretion of urine. In addition,

a number of studies in human beings, animals, and in laboratories

suggest that green tea can be effective in combating a number of

ailments.

Green Tea " s Effect on Cancer of the Pancreas and Colon

In an article entitled, " Green Tea Consumption and the Risk of

Pancreatic and Colorectal Cancers, " researchers B.T. Ji, W.H.

Chow, A.W. Hsing, J.K. McLaughlin, Q. Dai, Y.T. Gao, W.J. Blot,

and J.F. Fraumeni, Jr. examined the question of green tea " s

effectiveness as an antidote to certain types of cancers.

The Columbia University researchers conceded that the effect of

green tea on cancer risk is uncertain, although a number of

animal studies seem to indicate a positive effect.

In order to test the hypothesis that drinking green tea can, in

fact, lessen cancer risk, the researchers conducted an extensive

study in Shanghai, China in order to see whether green tea

consumption had any impact on cancers of the colon, rectum, and

pancreas.

The research team found that the greater the consumption of green

tea, the lesser the risk of cancer. As a result, it appears that

green tea may, in fact, lower the incidence of both colorectal

and pancreatic cancers. Yet, it should be noted that other

similar studies have produced conflicting results. As a result,

scientists recommend additional research before a definitive

statement can be made about green tea as a colorectal cancer

prevention tool.

As far as pancreatic cancer is concerned, another study showed

that those individuals who consumed the most green tea were far

less likely to develop the disease. It appears that the reduced

risk is most pronounced in women, who cut their pancreatic cancer

rate in half by drinking large amounts of green tea.

In contrast, male green tea drinkers were 37 percent less likely

to develop the disease. However, it should be noted that it is

impossible to tell from this particular study whether green tea

was solely responsible for cutting pancreatic cancer risk.

Green Tea and Other Cancers

But what about other cancers? How effective has green tea been

in preventing other forms of the disease? To begin with, cancer

rates are often lower in Japan and other nations where green tea

consumption is high. Animal studies also indicate that the

polyphenols in green tea are effective antioxidants which kill

cancerous cells, stopping them in their tracks.

A study of bladder cancer patients found that those who consumed

green tea had a much better five-year survival rate than cancer

patients who did not drink the beverage. In addition, animal

studies appear to confirm that the chemicals in green tea stop

the growth of breast cancer cells.

One study of nearly 500 women with breast cancer found that those

who drank green tea did not see their cancer spread as much as

those who did not consume green tea. Yet, those who were in the

later stages of breast cancer who drank green tea saw little or

no improvement in their condition.

Animal studies also indicate that green tea can prevent the

growth of cancer cells in the esophagus. But studies in human

beings have yielded mixed results. For instance, one study

showed that green tea could help prevent esophageal

cancer " " especially in women, while another indicated that the tea

could actually increase the incidence of such cancer.

Consequently, additional research is needed before scientists can

determine conclusively whether green tea can act as a cancer

preventative.

The effects of green tea on lung and prostate cancer remain

unclear. However, the beverage does seem to prevent the onset of

skin cancer. There is also some evidence to suggest that it can

inhibit the growth of stomach cancer cells.

It appears that green tea may be effective in the fight against

inflammatory bowel disease. This is significant because people

who suffer from this disease are at a greater risk for colon

cancer. Specifically, green tea appears to reduce the

inflammation characteristic of ulcerative colitis and Crohn " s

disease, two forms of inflammatory bowel disease.

Green Tea and Chemotherapy

There have been lab tests to indicate that green tea can improve

the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs such as doxorubicin and

tamoxifen. But the positive effect has not yet been demonstrated

in studies of human beings. In fact, green tea and green tea

extracts are not recommended for prostate cancer patients who are

undergoing chemotherapy.

The Final Word

Although scientific studies at this point are not altogether

conclusive, there is strong evidence to suggest that green tea

can be effective in preventing cancer. That may be particularly

true for colorectal and pancreatic cancers. At this point, a

number of doctors agree that, for most people, the health

benefits of drinking green tea far outweigh the risks.

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Marcus Stout is the President of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea

carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly

and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about

their current tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea

(http://www.goldenmoontea.com/greentea), white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also

known as wu-long and wu long tea - http://www.goldenmoontea.com/wu-long) and

chai. Visit http://www.goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden

Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas.