We all strive for a radiant smile and now more green tea research reveals that its extracts have multiple oral heath-care benefits. The most potent polyphenols found in green tea are the extracts known as EGCG and ECG. These have been found to selectively induce cell death, (apoptosis) in many types of tumors, including oral cancer cells.
The National Institute of Health statistics show that 35,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer each year. This accounts for 2 percent of all cancers with a five- year survival rate of approximately 50 percent. This high death rate is primarily due to the fact that oral cancer is often not discovered and diagnosed until late in its development.
If the cancer metastasizes to another location, often the lymph nodes in the neck, the prognosis becomes significantly worse than when caught in a localized area.
The journal, Cancer Prevention Research recently published a study revealing the effectiveness of green tea extract in slowing down the progression of oral lesions. In some cases the green tea extract was so potent, some participant’s lesions vanished completely.
Tests were done by the University of Texas, over a twelve- week period using varying quantities of green tea extract on 41 participants who were suffering from leukoplakia, lesions on the tongue and inside the cheeks.
The results showed that in the group taking the highest dose of 1,000mg. there was a 60 percent reduction or disappearance of the lesions. Those who were administered 750mg. also showed significant diminishing of lesions, again at 60 percent.
Utilizing the smallest dose of green tea extract of 500mg. three times a day the figures showed the lowest success at only 35 percent.
Despite researchers declaring that further studies are still necessary before they can definitively prove the effectiveness of green tea in fighting oral cancer, the conclusion is that these findings are still “significant.” So if you enjoy green tea, be sure to drink a high quality brand that does not contain additives or choose an extract in supplement form and keep smiling!