Green Tea, Cancer, and Autoimmune Disease.

Green tea originates from Southeast Asia and is now cultivated in tropical regions all over the world. The majority of tea is still produced in China and India. Green tea is made from steaming fresh leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and has been used historically for centuries in ceremonies and as a stimulant to stay alert throughout long meditations. Green tea is usually brewed and consumed as a drink, but today the extracts can also be produced as concentrated capsules, and are even added into skin products.

Green Tea has long been suspected and studied for its health benefits in humans. It is mainly recognized as an antioxidant, but is also associated with having anti-cancer, cardio-protective, and anti-inflammatory effects. The main components believed to be responsible for these health beneftis are phenolic compounds called flavinols. The main flavinol which has been shown to elicit health benefits is Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

Green tea has been thought to benefit a multitude of conditions and diseases ranging from lowering blood cholesterol to cancer prevention. Green tea has been credited with increasing mental alertness, aiding in weight loss and skin protection from the sun. Perhaps the most commonly studied area in regards to green tea and its health benefits is cancer prevention. Flavinoids in green tea have exhibited strong antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities in animal studies, resulting in protective effects against coronary heart disease and inhibition of carcinogenesis. In addition to cancer, oxidative damage and free radical formation also contributes to heart disease, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune disorders.

Green tea is perhaps less known for its potential benefits against autoimmune disorders, but studies have shown promising results in this area. Autoimmune disorders occur when the body’s immune system can not properly distinguish between a healthy cell and a foreign antigen. This results in an overactive immune system which targets and attacks the body’s own healthy tissues, resulting in damage to various tissues and can potentially decrease organ function. Examples of autoimmune or autoimmune-related disorders are: Multiple Sclerosis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosis, Celiac disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, and Type I Diabetes.

Evidence has shown that the prevalence of certain autoimmune diseases such as Sjorgren’s Syndrome and Systemic lupus erythematosis are lower in China and Japan, the two leading green tea-consuming countries. Compared to other populations, residents of Shizuoka, Japan, where large amounts of green tea are produced and consumed, also demonstrate a lower mortality rate from various cancers, including stomach, lung and liver cancers. Another epidemiological study, found that the amount of green tea consumed positively correlated with life span, cancer, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes mellitus in both males and females. Studies conducted on the effect of EGCG on multiple sclerosis in animal models found that the disease was significantly suppressed with supplemental EGCG. It was found that EGCG plays a role in reducing clinical severity by limiting brain inflammation and reducing neuronal damage associated with disability in people with MS.

Green tea is an attractive potential therapy, as positive health and chemoprotective benefits are thought to occur at the concentrations commonly taken by humans. However, in spite of the numerous studies on a variety of health benefits of green tea, the results remain inconclusive.

In addition to EGCG, a number of other nutrients and food components have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects such as: zinc, omega-3, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and probiotics, and can act as immunomudulators. “Immunonutrition” refers to the effects of nutrients that show pharmacologic effects on immune and inflammatory systems. Immunonutrition and the effects of these food components, may provide a less invasive alternative to immunotherapy and prevention against cancers and diseases associated with chronic inflammation.

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