Tea Council Newsletter

Welcome to the third newsletter from The Tea Council. This service will keep you up to date with current Tea4Health activities and events and inform you of the latest published research. We'll keep you updated on a quarterly basis with news and views from across the tea industry.

Research Update

Polyphenols in prostate prevention
The properties of green and black tea have both shown promise in the search to help prevent cancer, but the efficacy for their use has been in question due to much of the available data being based on animal experiments.

Studies in mice have shown that when tea is introduced, its polyphenols have been found to be active in the gastrointestinal tract (mainly intestines), the liver and the prostate gland, which proves good bioavailability, essential in the prevention of disease.

Recently, researchers from the Department of Pathology in West Los Angeles have replicated their mice studies on human subjects. Twenty men who were already scheduled for removal of their prostate glands were instructed to drink black tea, green tea or a soda-based control for 5 days before their operations. Blood samples taken from the men showed no traces of polyphenols although when prostate cancer cells were added to their blood (serum), their proliferation was less in the black tea and green tea serum than when the same cancer cells were added to the soda groups' serum. In what appears to be the first human study to find such a result, the researchers conclude that polyphenols from both black and green tea are bioavailable where they could play an active role in prostate cancer prevention.
J Nutr 2006 Jul;136(7):1839-43. Tea polyphenols and theaflavins are present in prostate tissue of humans and mice after green and black tea consumption.
Henning SM, Aronson W, Niu Y, Conde F, Lee NH, Seeram NP, Lee RP, Lu J, Harris DM, Moro A, Hong J, Pak-Shan L, Barnard RJ, Ziaee HG, Csathy G, Go VL, Wang H, Heber D.

Research in breast cancer field
Breast cancer is probably the most emotive of all cancers and with its widespread occurrence research is fast-paced and leaves no stone unturned.

Much of the research to date has centred on oestrogen balance or oestrogen elimination with the widespread use of the drug tamoxifen being the most popular prevention method.

Researchers from China are widening the search for a cancer prevention strategy and in this paper they begin exploring the use of other well-known substances thought to have cancer-preventing properties. As well as soy proteins, vitamin E and Co-enzyme Q10, tea polyphenols are being explored for their protective benefits. Although studies are currently being tested on animals, watch this space for further studies.
Front Bioscij 2006 Sep 1;11:2249-56. Chemoprevention of breast cancer: current status and future prospects.
Zhao X, Li L, Wang Z.

Tea helps prevent breakdown of white blood cells
White blood cells or lymphocytes are essential in the smooth running of the immune system and compromising their integrity can lead to an increased risk of infection. Black tea is well known for having powerful antioxidant properties but its other health giving properties are less well understood.

Researchers in India are currently exploring the 'anticlastogenic' properties of black tea polyphenols - properties that stop the breakdown of chromosomes/genetic material - against substances known to cause damage. When the potentially damaging substances were pitched against tea polyphenols, a significant decrease was seen in the damage they cause. The researchers found this effect to be particularly strong with theaflavin. The researchers concluded that in the test tube tea does seem to have an anticlastogenic effect but this has yet to be replicated in human studies.
Toxicol In Vitro.2006 Aug;20(5):608-13. Epub 2005 Nov 28. Anticlastogenic effects of black tea polyphenols theaflavins and thearubigins in human lymphocytes in vitro.
Halder B, Pramanick S, Mukhopadhyay S, Giri AK.

Other news - Keeping hydrated in the heat
In the current hot weather it's more important than ever to keep hydrated. However, it is not only water that counts towards your daily fluid requirement - tea does too.

Approximately 40% of the nation's fluid intake comes from tea and a cup of tea is 99.5% water. Due to the volume of fluid that is drunk whilst enjoying a cup of tea, the Food Standards Agency and the British Dietetic Association both advise that tea can help towards meeting daily fluid requirements.

It is a common misconception that during extremely hot weather tea should be avoided as a fluid replacement due to the supposed action of caffeine, tea does not have a diuretic effect unless the amount of tea drunk equals 7 cups in one sitting.

In hot weather tea refreshes you by gently raising the body temperature, causing mild perspiration, which then cools the skin. This is why in India where temperatures are currently between 38 and 40°C people are queuing up for a refreshing drink of tea!

About 70% of the UK population drink tea on a regular basis and they will be pleased to know that drinking 3-4 cups of tea a day can make a positive contribution to the body's hydration status, helping to promote health and well being.







Tea Council Newsletter Welcome to the third newsletter from The Tea Council. This service will keep you up to date with current Tea4Health activities and events and inform you of the latest published research. We'll keep you updated on a quarterly basis with news and views from across the tea industry. Research Update Polyphenols in prostate prevention The properties of green and black tea have both shown promise in the search to help prevent cancer, but the efficacy for their use has been in question due to much of the available data being based on animal experiments. Studies in mice have shown that when tea is introduced, its polyphenols have been found to be active in the gastrointestinal tract (mainly intestines), the liver and the prostate gland, which proves good bioavailability, essential in the prevention of disease. Recently, researchers from the Department of Pathology in West Los Angeles have replicated their mice studies on human subjects. Twenty men who were already scheduled for removal of their prostate glands were instructed to drink black tea, green tea or a soda-based control for 5 days before their operations. Blood samples taken from the men showed no traces of polyphenols although when prostate cancer cells were added to their blood (serum), their proliferation was less in the black tea and green tea serum than when the same cancer cells were added to the soda groups' serum. In what appears to be the first human study to find such a result, the researchers conclude that polyphenols from both black and green tea are bioavailable where they could play an active role in prostate cancer prevention. J Nutr 2006 Jul;136(7):1839-43. Tea polyphenols and theaflavins are present in prostate tissue of humans and mice after green and black tea consumption. Henning SM, Aronson W, Niu Y, Conde F, Lee NH, Seeram NP, Lee RP, Lu J, Harris DM, Moro A, Hong J, Pak-Shan L, Barnard RJ, Ziaee HG, Csathy G, Go VL, Wang H, Heber D. Research in breast cancer field Breast cancer is probably the most emotive of all cancers and with its widespread occurrence research is fast-paced and leaves no stone unturned. Much of the research to date has centred on oestrogen balance or oestrogen elimination with the widespread use of the drug tamoxifen being the most popular prevention method. Researchers from China are widening the search for a cancer prevention strategy and in this paper they begin exploring the use of other well-known substances thought to have cancer-preventing properties. As well as soy proteins, vitamin E and Co-enzyme Q10, tea polyphenols are being explored for their protective benefits. Although studies are currently being tested on animals, watch this space for further studies. Front Bioscij 2006 Sep 1;11:2249-56. Chemoprevention of breast cancer: current status and future prospects. Zhao X, Li L, Wang Z. Tea helps prevent breakdown of white blood cells White blood cells or lymphocytes are essential in the smooth running of the immune system and compromising their integrity can lead to an increased risk of infection. Black tea is well known for having powerful antioxidant properties but its other health giving properties are less well understood. Researchers in India are currently exploring the 'anticlastogenic' properties of black tea polyphenols - properties that stop the breakdown of chromosomes/genetic material - against substances known to cause damage. When the potentially damaging substances were pitched against tea polyphenols, a significant decrease was seen in the damage they cause. The researchers found this effect to be particularly strong with theaflavin. The researchers concluded that in the test tube tea does seem to have an anticlastogenic effect but this has yet to be replicated in human studies. Toxicol In Vitro.2006 Aug;20(5):608-13. Epub 2005 Nov 28. Anticlastogenic effects of black tea polyphenols theaflavins and thearubigins in human lymphocytes in vitro. Halder B, Pramanick S, Mukhopadhyay S, Giri AK. Other news - Keeping hydrated in the heat In the current hot weather it's more important than ever to keep hydrated. However, it is not only water that counts towards your daily fluid requirement - tea does too. Approximately 40% of the nation's fluid intake comes from tea and a cup of tea is 99.5% water. Due to the volume of fluid that is drunk whilst enjoying a cup of tea, the Food Standards Agency and the British Dietetic Association both advise that tea can help towards meeting daily fluid requirements. It is a common misconception that during extremely hot weather tea should be avoided as a fluid replacement due to the supposed action of caffeine, tea does not have a diuretic effect unless the amount of tea drunk equals 7 cups in one sitting. In hot weather tea refreshes you by gently raising the body temperature, causing mild perspiration, which then cools the skin. This is why in India where temperatures are currently between 38 and 40°C people are queuing up for a refreshing drink of tea! About 70% of the UK population drink tea on a regular basis and they will be pleased to know that drinking 3-4 cups of tea a day can make a positive contribution to the body's hydration status, helping to promote health and well being.
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