Drinking 6 cups of green tea a day seems to protect against prostate cancer.

Details to the study:

• 67 men were studied before their scheduled prostatectomy

• Researchers randomly assigned the men to either six cups of brewed green tea or water daily for three to eight weeks depending on the timing of their surgery.

• PSA was significantly lower in the green tea group compared with baseline levels.

• Upon studying the prostate tissue after surgery researchers noticed less PSA expression in men consuming green tea.

• Nuclear factor kappa B an inflammatory marker known to contribute to prostate cancer was significantly reduced in the group consuming green tea.

• Lastly a urinary DNA marker for oxidative stress was significantly less in green tea drinkers versus those drinking purely water.

- Science Daily

My take on this and doggy bag message:

The protective effects of green tea on prostate cancer are not new.

A large prospective cohort study of 49920 men aged 4069 years and their green tea consumption habits was conducted by the Japan Public Health Centre between 1990 and 2004 indicating the protective effects of drinking 5 cups of green tea a day (Kurahashi et al 2008).

Another randomized trial looking at 60 patients with High Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia (HGPIN) wanted to know if taking green tea extract supplement pills protected men from prostate cancer. About 30% of HGPIN cells become cancerous within 1 year after biopsy. After 1 year only one tumor was diagnosed among the 30 green tea-treated men (incidence 3¼%) whereas nine cancers were found among the 30 placebo-treated men (incidence of 30%). (Bettuzi et l 2006.)

There are over 200 published papers in the scientific literature indicating green tea's protective properties against prostate cancer.

Bottom line: Green tea is protective against prostate cancer. Most studies prove that. Some physician's are suggesting waiting for larger randomized trials before suggesting green tea consumption. That's absurd. No need to wait. Rather than drinking plain water drink green tea-  about 5 to 6 cups a day. If 5 cups a day is not practical consume green tea extract supplements or targeted supplement formulas that contain green tea extract.

Please share with friends if you find this posting valuable. Very grateful as always.

by Geo Espinosa N.D. L.Ac CNS

Geo Espinosa N.D. L.Ac CNS is the Director of the Integrative Urology Center at New York University Langone Medical Center. Before joining NYU Dr. Geo was a clinician researcher and director of clinical trials at the Center for Holistic Urology at Columbia University Medical Center. He is a licensed naturopathic doctor licensed acupuncturist and Certified Nutrition Specialist. Dr. Geo did his residency/fellowship in Urology at Columbia University Medical Center Department of Urology under Dr. Aaron Katz. His research and practice are exclusive to prostate disorders general urology and men's health. Dr. Geo is a member of the American Herbalist Guild the American Urological Association and the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

Dr. Geo is an author of the naturopathic entry in ""1000 Cures for 200 Ailments"" by Harper Collins; March 2007 and ""Prostate cancer “ Nutrients that may slow its progression"" Chapter 40 in Food and Nutrients in Disease Management - Maryland: Cadmus Publishing 2009. He has authored papers on prostate cancer and BPH in the journal of European Urology and Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice respectively. In addition he has written on integrative approaches for urologic conditions in the Washington Post Body and Soul magazine NDNR Insight - Prostate Cancer Research Institute newsletter and Bottom line health.

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Reference:

Kurahashi N Sasazuki S Iwasaki M Inoue M Tsugane S. Green tea consumption and prostate cancer risk in Japanese men: a prospective study. Am J Epidemiol 2008; 167: 717

Bettuzzi S Brausi M Rizzi F Castagnetti G Peracchia G Corti A. Chemoprevention of human prostate cancer by oral administration of green tea catechins in volunteers with high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia: a preliminary report from a one-year proof-of-principle study. Cancer Res 2006; 66: 123440