Tea consumption is associated with a reduced risk of
Tea consumption is associated with a reduced risk of

heart disease, stroke, and premature death in general,
heart disease, stroke, and premature death in general,

with each additional cup of green tea a day
with each additional cup of green tea a day

associated with a 4% lower mortality risk.
associated with a 4% lower mortality risk.

So maybe, drinking several cups of tea daily
So maybe, drinking several cups of tea daily

can keep the doctor away as well as the mortician.
can keep the doctor away as well as the mortician.

But what about cancer?
But what about cancer?

There is growing evidence from laboratory, population, and human interventional studies
There is growing evidence from laboratory, population, and human interventional studies

that tea can exert beneficial disease-preventive effects,
that tea can exert beneficial disease-preventive effects,

and further may actually slow cancer progression.
and further may actually slow cancer progression.

Let’s review some of that evidence.
Let’s review some of that evidence.

Not only do those who drink a lot of tea
Not only do those who drink a lot of tea

appear to live years longer than those who drink less,
appear to live years longer than those who drink less,

drinking lots of tea may delay the onset of cancer.
drinking lots of tea may delay the onset of cancer.

Now, these are in Japanese tea cups, which only contain half a cup,
Now, these are in Japanese tea cups, which only contain half a cup,

so the highest category here is greater than or equal to 5 full cups of tea, not 10.
so the highest category here is greater than or equal to 5 full cups of tea, not 10.

The women who did get cancer appeared to get it 7 years later
The women who did get cancer appeared to get it 7 years later

if they had been drinking lots of tea compared to those who consumed less,
if they had been drinking lots of tea compared to those who consumed less,

whereas men had a 3 year delay,
whereas men had a 3 year delay,

the difference male vs female potentially due to smoking habits.
the difference male vs female potentially due to smoking habits.

Green tea may be able to interfere with each of the stages of cancer formation,
Green tea may be able to interfere with each of the stages of cancer formation,

the initiation of the first cancer cell, promotion into a tumor,
the initiation of the first cancer cell, promotion into a tumor,

and the subsequent progression and spread.
and the subsequent progression and spread.

Cancer is often initiated when a free radical
Cancer is often initiated when a free radical

oxidizes our DNA causing a mutation,
oxidizes our DNA causing a mutation,

but within 40 minutes of drinking green tea
but within 40 minutes of drinking green tea

you can get a nice spike in antioxidant power of your bloodstream.
you can get a nice spike in antioxidant power of your bloodstream.

This increase, in turn, may lower oxidative damage
This increase, in turn, may lower oxidative damage

to DNA and so decrease the risk of cancer.
to DNA and so decrease the risk of cancer.

Furthermore, in terms of genoprotective effects—
Furthermore, in terms of genoprotective effects—

protecting our genes— pre-existing oxidation- induced
protecting our genes— pre-existing oxidation- induced

DNA damage was lower after drinking green tea
DNA damage was lower after drinking green tea

suggesting that it can boost DNA repair as well,
suggesting that it can boost DNA repair as well,

but we didn’t know for sure...
but we didn’t know for sure...

until now.
until now.

There’s a DNA repair enzyme in our body called OGG1
There’s a DNA repair enzyme in our body called OGG1

and within one hour of drinking a single cup of green tea
and within one hour of drinking a single cup of green tea

we can boost its activity
we can boost its activity

though after a week of tea drinking we can boost it even higher
though after a week of tea drinking we can boost it even higher

so regular intake of green tea may have additional benefits
so regular intake of green tea may have additional benefits

in the prevention and/or repair of DNA damage.
in the prevention and/or repair of DNA damage.

Tea is so DNA protective it can be used for sperm storage,
Tea is so DNA protective it can be used for sperm storage,

for fresh samples until it can be properly refrigerated;
for fresh samples until it can be properly refrigerated;

and so anti-inflammatory, it can be used for pain control
and so anti-inflammatory, it can be used for pain control

as a mouthwash after wisdom tooth surgery.
as a mouthwash after wisdom tooth surgery.

And in terms of controlling cancer growth,
And in terms of controlling cancer growth,

at a dose of green tea compounds that would make it
at a dose of green tea compounds that would make it

into someone’s organs after drinking 6 cups of tea
into someone’s organs after drinking 6 cups of tea

it can cause cancer cells to commit suicide, apoptosis,
it can cause cancer cells to commit suicide, apoptosis,

programmed cell death while leaving normal cells alone.
programmed cell death while leaving normal cells alone.

There’s lots of chemo agents that can kill cancer through brute force,
There’s lots of chemo agents that can kill cancer through brute force,

but that can make normal cells vulnerable too.
but that can make normal cells vulnerable too.

So green tea appears to be potentially an ideal agent for cancer prevention:
So green tea appears to be potentially an ideal agent for cancer prevention:

little or no adverse side-effects, efficacious for multiple cancers
little or no adverse side-effects, efficacious for multiple cancers

at achievable dose levels; can be taken orally.
at achievable dose levels; can be taken orally.

We have a sense of how it works, by stopping cancer cells from growing
We have a sense of how it works, by stopping cancer cells from growing

causing them to off themselves.
causing them to off themselves.

It’s cheap and has a history of safe acceptable use.
It’s cheap and has a history of safe acceptable use.

But this was all based on in-vitro studies in a test tube.
But this was all based on in-vitro studies in a test tube.

It needs to be evaluated in human trials—
It needs to be evaluated in human trials—

give people with cancer green tea to see if it helps.
give people with cancer green tea to see if it helps.

Which we’ll explore, next…
Which we’ll explore, next…