Green tea, the wonder antioxidant...

Green tea contains a group of potent antioxidant compounds. Among those polyphenolic compounds is a group called catechins. There is a litany of good primary research listing the positive health benefits (including reduction of the risk for heart disease, improvement of serum lipids, improvement serum glucose levels to name a few) that come from catechins and green tea. Interestingly, green tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world. It's no wonder given how healthy the drink is for you.

This study, conducted by a research group in at LSU, tracked serum biomarkers of prostate cancer including, "hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prostate specific antigen (PSA)" in a group of 26 men who had tested positive for prostate cancer (h/t Futurepundit). This group was then assigned to consume four capsules containing polyphenols from green tea (1.3 g per day) until the day of their surgery (this ranged from 12-73 or a median of 34.5 days).

The results showed significant reductions in the following biomarkers, VEGF, HGF, PSA, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Furthermore, toxicity assays, measured by monitoring liver enzymes were negative indicating that the dosage was safe for consumption over that period of time.

This is one of many studies performed either on green tea or catechins but it's the first to measure significant reductions in the markers for prostate cancer. Also, the toxicity assays coincide with previous studies demonstrating the lack of liver toxicity, an issue that has been the source of some discussion with regards to green tea. Look for new Unicity products loaded with green tea!

More on omega-3 fatty acids...

It seems as though there is a new study touting the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids (h/t Futurepundit). This is report trying to mimic the diet of early humans with a lower ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids (ω is the greek letter omega). Based on anthropological evidence, it's surmised that the diet of early humans maintained a lower ω-3:ω-6 ratio (1:2). Changes in dietary habits have produced a currently estimated ratio of 1:10. Coincident with those changes in dietary habits are increases in autoimmune diseases, increased systemic inflammation, and diabetes leading these groups, from Wake Forest and Harvard, to think there is a relationship between the immune system and the ratio of ω-3:ω-6 consumed.

In order to test this hypothesis, they took a group of individuals (27) and had them eat a controlled diet with a lowered ω-3-ω6 ratio for one week. After that first week, they continued on fish oil and borage oil supplements for an additional four weeks. They then compared blood tests taken at the beginning and at the end of the study. They looked the gene levels of many immune signals and cytokines and found that many of the genes that promote inflammation responses had markedly lower levels after the 5 weeks of supplementation. One of the genes involved is phophatidyl-inositol-3 kinase (PI3K), a gene involved in the "critical early steps in autoimmune and allergic inflammation responses."

While this study is one of the first of its kind it appears that lowering the ratio of ω-3-ω6 can help in reducing inflammation. Look for good, solid supplements like this one and consume more fish.