The Green Tea Diabetes Connection

Researchers at Atlanta’s Medical College of Georgia have recently made some remarkable strides toward using green tea to delay or even prevent the autoimmune diseases of Type 1 diabetes as well as Sjogrens syndrome which damages the moisture glands causing dry mouth and eyes.

Dr. Stephen Hsu, one of the Medical College’s researchers stated that their study had been focusing on Sjogrens syndrome and the ability to prevent/delay it through the use of the EGCG antioxidant found in green tea. Dr. Hsu, a molecular/cell biologist in the School of Dentistry, said that “learning that EGCG could delay and prevent insulin dependent Type 1 diabetes was a big surprise."

Since Sjogrens syndrome is an autoimmune disease, as is Type 1 Diabetes, green tea’s EGCG extract had the same affect on the body’s production of self-damaging causing antibodies.

The study was performed on mice with the control group being given water and a test group being given a purified form of EGCG mixed into the water. After 16 weeks the mice that had been fed the green tea were 6.1 times more likely not to have diabetes than those who were given plain water. At 22 weeks, the mice were 4.2 times more apt to be diabetes free.

Earlier diabetes-green tea studies on other animals had proved inclusive because a chemical had been injected which actually caused the diabetes. This was ineffective, says Dr. Hsu, who worked on this study as well, “because Type 1 Diabetes is a genetic disease and a chemical may not accurately resemble disease development in humans.”

Dr. Hsu went on to explain that this green tea-diabetes/Sjogrens was important because the mice used already had the genetic problems like those seen in people with Type 1 Diabetes. Consequently the pancreas is attacked by the immune cells until the pancreas no longer produces the necessary insulin.

In a different study reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the black tea and green tea diabetes connection has been reinforced. In this 3 month study, laboratory rats who were given the teas had a lower blood sugar and diabetes induced cataracts were inhibited. This significant discovery reveals that the use of black and green tea for diabetes prevention and associated problems. Researchers state, “Black and green tea represent a potentially inexpensive, non-toxic, and, in fact, pleasurable blood sugar lowering agent. Tea may be a simple, inexpensive means of preventing and retarding human diabetes and the ensuing complications.”

For those interested in adding green tea to their diet, note that in order to receive the same amount-equivalent as the mice, a 143 pound person needs to drink 4 ½ 8 ounce cups of tea every day.

Sources:

www.sciencedaily.com/release/2008/10/081023144119

http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20050420/black-tea-green-tea-good-for-diabetes

Diabetic Seniors Team

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