Green Tea Extract strongly protects the circulatory system

In this study 14 healthy women, none of whom were receiving any medical treatment had their circulation checked after the use of either a Green Tea Extract or inactive placebo over a five week period. Green Tea improved the ability of the arteries to open or relax thus significantly improving blood flow. Also, the consumption of the Green Tea Extract triggered a significant 37.4% reduction in the concentration of oxidized LDL demonstrating a powerful and important protective antioxidant effect for the circulatory system. The study appears in the April 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Green Tea protects you from developing heart disease

A few cups of green tea each day may help prevent heart disease, Greek researcher’s state. The study shows further evidence of the potential health benefits from a brew already linked to a reduced risk of a range of cancers and other conditions.
Specifically, the study showed that green tea improves blood flow and the ability of arteries to relax, according to Dr. Charalambos Vlachopoulos, a cardiologist at the Athens Medical School in Greece who worked on the study along with colleagues. The Greek team said they believed Green Tea might be better than black tea because it has higher quantities of beneficial compounds called flavonoids -- some of which are lost in the oxidation process that black tea undergoes. Flavonoids are also found in cocoa, tomatoes and grapes.
"A couple of cups a day would probably be a good dose for people," Vlachopoulos said. "This is the first study to show these effects for green tea." The researchers gave 14 healthy volunteers either Green Tea, diluted caffeine or hot water on three separate occasions and then measured the function of endothelial cells lining the circulatory system. These cells help relax arteries and ease blood flow. "What is important is these effects are evident fairly rapidly, within 30 minutes," Vlachopoulos said.
The measurements taken 30, 90 and 120 minutes following consumption showed an almost immediate benefit among people who drank green tea, he said. Heart disease is the world's leading cause of death. It is caused by fatty deposits that harden and block arteries, high blood pressure which damages blood vessels, and other factors. Vlachopolous said the team's studies suggest the protection is long lasting. "Green tea is consumed less in the Western world than black tea, but it could be more beneficial because of the way it seems to improve circulatory function," he said. The study is published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation.