Green tea has long been attributed many health properties.
It has a positive effect on the weight and a healthy intestinal flora and, as for “intestine with charm” by Giulia Enders is known – a healthy gut is essential for our well-being.
But green tea can be in the prevention of breast cancer: helpful or the treatment of breast cancer patients in a positive way to support?
The Chinese scientists now and in a Meta-analysis, the results of a total of 16 studies summarized. The Whole appeared in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition.
A Meta-analysis is a statistical procedure to create a systematic Overview of the results of multiple studies addressing the same question. The validity of the individual studies can be increased.
What makes green tea so healthy?
In the search for cancer preventive substances that scientists come across in the last few years on a variety of ingredients from plants, including, for example, the secondary plant compound Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (ECGC), which is found heavily in green tea.
It belongs to the sub-group of polyphenols, and has anti-oxidative properties and a high protective function of the cells. It blocks an important enzyme which plays to the cancer cells a significant role.
For the development of tumor diseases, this would mean an inhibition of cancer cell growth.
The results of the analysis showed that people with the highest consumption of green tea had in comparison to people with the lowest green tea consumption with a lower risk of breast cancer.
Between green tea consumption and the risk of breast cancer, the researchers saw a linear relationship.
In addition, the scientists calculated that the low breast cancer prevalence can be attributed in China to 23.5 per cent on the consumption of green tea back.
The researchers concluded that Drinking large quantities of green tea can reduce over several years the risk of breast cancer.
Results on Western world not 1:1 transferable
So healthy, green tea is also need to be considered, the most recent results critically. Most of the studies were conducted in the Asian region, this Meta-analysis.
On the Western life situation, the results so not 1:1 transfer, because of factors such as, for example, could have influenced a healthier diet the studies.
Green tea should not therefore be regarded as a panacea or Alternative to conventional treatments for tumour diseases.
“It showed that green tea bubbles, no positive effects in the prostate, and stomach cancer has. And the effects of green tea were not always positive: In the case of smokers, increased drinking tea, for example, the risk of bladder cancer,“ Prof. Dr. med. Karsten Münstedt, chief physician of gynecology in Offenburg.
Add to this the results of many clinical studies, according to which the recommendation is up to ten cups of green tea per day to achieve the desired effect in terms of the development of breast cancer.
Green tea also contains caffeine and should not be consumed in high quantities.
In addition, Prof. Dr. Münstedt indicates that has not yet been definitively resolved “the question whether the preventive effect of green tea on all types of breast cancer (Luminal-A, Luminal-B, HER2-positive tumors, basal-like) refers to, or whether only certain types of breast cancer can be prevented.”
There is two issues need further research, according to still.
Source
- Wang, Y. et al. (2020): A dose-response meta-analysis of green tea consumption and breast cancer risk, retrieved on 13.02.2020 https://doi.org/10.1080/09637486.2020.1715353
Stefanie Naumann
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