Can Green Tea Help Prevent Prostate Cancer?

Studies on diet and cancer also show that green tea when tested with mice with an aggressive form of cancer can decrease the spread or metastasis of prostate cancer to liver, bone, and other parts of the body. Additional study of green tea may help develop a treatment to prevent the dormant, non threatening type of prostate cancer many men have in their 70's and 80's from becoming aggressive and fatal. Around six cups of green tea per day would contain the equivalent amount of polyphenols for individuals to help block the spread of cancer. Other data shows that the phytochemicals in green tea could inhibit the early phases of prostate cancer development.

The phytochemicals seem to increase the number of enzymes that help convert carcinogens to dormant, harmless forms. Many questions remain about the amount and frequency of green tea consumption necessary to affect the formation of prostate cancer. Black tea has shown similar benefits as green tea, although they appear to have lower levels of the beneficial substances than green tea.

Italian researchers from the University of Parma, University of Modena, Reggio Emilia and Saverio Bettuzzi found Clusterin, a gene involved in prostate apoptosis, a possible mediator of catechins' action. "EGCG induced death in cancer cells, not normal cells, inducing Clusterin expression," said Bettuzzi. The research subjects were aged 45 to 75 with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia- malignant lesions that are prostate cancer precursors- for which no treatment had been given, and who were not consuming green tea, tea-derived products or antioxidants, or following anti-androgenic therapy. Intervention subjects received 200 mg of GTCs (50 percent EGCG). The 30 percent incidence rate of prostate cancer in the control group was consistent with previous findings, as was the absence of significant side effects or adverse reactions among the treated group.

Whatever the benefits of green tea, it would be a mistake to rely on tea alone for prevention. Studies suggest a variety of nutritional influences on prostate cancer risk. The use of vitamin E may offer some protection. The antioxidant mineral selenium also seems protective. Most Americans get adequate amounts of selenium, but these studies used nutrition supplements, so the study participants achieved higher intake levels. It waits to be seen whether men can protect themselves by taking supplements, including multivitamins with selenium. If total selenium intake exceeds 400 mcg per day, nerve damage and other side effects can occur in the individual.

Other good foods for natural nutrition are blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, flaxseed, soybeans, and tomatoes. Cooked tomatoes are actually a far better source than raw tomatoes because the cooking process releases the lycopene from cells.