Green Tea may decrease the risk of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancer. Green Tea has shown promise in the prevention of several cancers. There is much evidence from laboratory and animal studies that Green Tea lowers the risk or slows the progression of ovarian cancer. Recent research from China shows a decreased risk of developing ovarian cancer with Green Tea consumption. Recent research also shows that ovarian cancer patients survive longer when they consume Green Tea. The review of emerging research was performed at the Curtin University of Technology, School of Public Health, Perth, Australia and is published in the December 2005 issue of Future Oncology.

Commentary by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph.

Studies show it is not the caffeine which helps decrease the risk of developing diabetes but probably the polyphenols.

More evidence that Resveratrol helps prevent kidney damage

Rhabdomyolysis is a painful destruction of muscle fibers causing the release of muscle content into the circulation. Levels of Creatine kinase (or CCK - an enzyme that creates energy in the muscle) and myoglobin (the oxygen carrying protein in muscle that functions like hemoglobin) increase in the blood. These patients generally feel muscle tenderness and muscle aching.The urine can become dark or cola colored. Rhabdomyolysis leads to kidney damage, kidney failure, and death. Rhabdomyolysis accounts for 10% to 40% of all cases of sudden kidney failure (acute renal failure). Statin drugs that reduce cholesterol have caused rhabdomyolysis and then death in some patients. In this study a large amount of a chemical was injected into rats to cause acute renal failure due to rhabdomyolysis. Injury to the kidney was assessed by measuring the level of plasma creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and blood creatinine (not the supplement creatine) in the plasma and by urea clearance by the kidneys.Giving Resveratrol supplementation 60 minutes before injecting the chemical markedly decreased damage to kidney tissue, a drop in kidney function, and production of inflammatory free radicals, while improving antioxidant enzyme levels in the kidneys (protective levels of glutathione, glutathione reductase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase). The study is published in the current issue of the journal Renal Failure (2006;28[2]).