Green Tea may help keep lung cancer at bay, new study suggests!

A recent medical study undertaken in Taiwan has found out that drinking a cup of green tea each day dramatically cuts the risk of developing lung cancer. This finding further bolsters the health credentials of this popular beverage, which is said to be effective in fighting a host of ailments ranging from heart disease to immune deficiency, to diabetes, liver disease, and yes, cancer.

A team headed by Dr. I-Hsin Lin, of Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan studied the lifestyle habits of 170 people with lung cancer and 340 healthy patients. The participants were asked questions such as how much they smoked, how much green tea they drank, how much fruits and vegetables they eat, how they cook their food, and whether they have a family history of lung cancer.

Furthermore, the participants underwent genotyping on insulin-like growth factors: IGF1, IGF2, and IGFBP3, all of which have been thought to be related to risk for cancer.

The results of the medical study showed that both smokers and non-smokers who did not take green tea were 5 times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who drank at least one cup of green tea per day. Smokers who did not drink green tea at all were more than 12 times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who took at least one cup of the beverage per day.

In addition, it also showed that the protection from green tea appeared to be highest for those who carry certain genes. Smoking and non-smoking green tea drinkers carrying the non-susceptible IGF1 (CA)19/(CA)19 and (CA)19/X genotypes were found to be 66% less likely to develop lung cancer compared with those who also drank green tea but were carrying the IGF1 X/X genotype.

The team thus concludes that the antioxidants and polyphenol content in green tea and specific human genetic variations were together responsible for the probabilities of lung cancer risk in individuals.

The cancer-fighting properties of green tea have long been attributed to its rich content of polyphenols, notably a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which functions as a potent antioxidant. The EGCC catechin has been credited with its ability to restrict and prevent the growth of cancer cells.

Still, the Taiwanese team stressed the fact that lung cancer cannot be staved off solely by drinking large amounts of green tea. They reiterated that the best way to prevent lung cancer is still a conscious effort to eat healthy and to stay away from smoking.