Green Tea: A Weapon in the Fight Against Prostate Cancer?

Studies have linked green tea to increased heart health, lower cholesterol levels and weight loss. A recent medical trial demonstrates that the ingredients in green tea may also slow the rate of prostate cancer.

Louisiana State University conducted a small study with 26 prostate cancer participants; all who were scheduled for prostate surgery. For approximately 34 days, participants, ranging in age from 41 to 72 years, were given Polyphenon E, an antioxidant found in green tea that is widely credited as a cancer fighter. The men took 800 milligrams of the green-tea extract ECGC and Polyphenon E. Their intake levels are equivalent to approximately 12 cups of green tea per day.

The study results, published in Cancer Prevention Research, found that the concentrated extract ingested by the men, reduced growth factors and serum markers used to predict the progression of prostate cancer. Of the participants, some showed reduced growth factors by 30 percent. These results lead James A. Cardelli, Ph.D., head author of the study, to conclude that Polyphenon E can work in conjunction with a healthy diet to prevent and slow down cancer progression.

Other studies, including one conducted in Japan, do not show a definitive link between green-tea extracts and prostate cancer. However, results show that green tea may reduce the progression of low-risk tumors. More clinical trials are needed to fully assess the effects of green tea on prostrate cancer because it remains unclear if tea polyphenols work alone or in combination with diet and other cancer treatments.