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January 11, 2011 |
Digestion strengthens green tea benefits |
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While the digestive process enables us to absorb and benefit from the nutrients contained in food, it can have varying effects on therapeutic plant compounds that have been shown to have specific benefits in vitro. However, research described in the journal Phytomedicine reveals that the neuroprotective properties of green tea are actually improved by digestion, meaning that its benefits could be greater than anticipated.
Research has demonstrated that polyphenols in green and black tea help protect brain cells by binding with hydrogen peroxide and amyloid beta, which are toxic compounds that are increased in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients.These tea phytochemicals are broken down to produce a number of compounds during digestion. "It's one of the reasons why we have to be so careful when we make claims about the health benefits of various foods and supplements," explained lead researcher Dr Ed Okello of England's Newcastle University. "There are certain chemicals we know to be beneficial and we can identify foods which are rich in them but what happens during the digestion process is crucial to whether these foods are actually doing us any good."
Dr Okello's team collaborated with Dr Gordon McDougall of the Scottish Crop Research Institute in Dundee who developed technology that simulates human digestion. "What was really exciting about this study was that we found when green tea is digested by enzymes in the gut, the resulting chemicals are actually more effective against key triggers of Alzheimer's development than the undigested form of the tea," Dr Okello remarked. "In addition to this, we also found the digested compounds had anticancer properties, significantly slowing down the growth of the tumor cells which we were using in our experiments."
In the experiments with cultured tumor cells, varying concentrations of the digested green tea compounds were administered and the effects were noted. "The digested chemicals protected the cells, preventing the toxins from destroying the cells," Dr Okello revealed. "We also saw them affecting the cancer cells, significantly slowing down their growth.
"Green tea has been used in Traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and what we have here provides the scientific evidence why it may be effective against some of the key diseases we face today," he stated. "There are obviously many factors which together have an influence on diseases such as cancer and dementia - a good diet, plenty of exercise and a healthy lifestyle are all important."
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Oxidative stress is a very important factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Antioxidant supplements help block the oxidative process. According to one researcher: "Beta-amyloid is aggregated and produces more free radicals in the presence of free radicals; beta-amyloid toxicity is eliminated by free radical scavengers" (Grundman M 2000).
Grape seed extract has demonstrated remarkable success in blocking the formation of senile plaques. One of the most potent antioxidants available, grape seed extract possesses 20 times more free radical–fighting power than vitamin E and 50 times more than vitamin C (Shi J et al 2003). This remarkable antioxidant activity suggests that grape seed extract should become a part of any regimen to optimize brain health.
In laboratory experiments, brain cells of rats were treated with grape seed extract before exposing them to beta-amyloid. Although untreated rat-brain neurons readily accumulated free radicals and subsequently died, the cells treated with grape seed extract were significantly protected (Li MH et al 2004).
Excess levels of iron have been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, leading some researchers to wonder if chelating (or binding) free iron levels in the brain might benefit patients. Iron enhances and promotes the generation of free radicals, which are known to cause damage in Alzheimer’s disease.
One potential chelating agent is green tea catechins. These powerful flavonoids have been shown to possess potent chelating properties, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powers (Mandel S et al 2006). Animal studies have demonstrated that the main flavonoid in green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), can decrease levels of beta-amyloid in the brain, offering hope that green tea can help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (Rezai-Zadeh K et al 2005).
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Scientists have known for years that certain biological components of whey protein (including lactoferrin, beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, glycomacropeptide, and immunoglobulins) have a beneficial impact on the immune system. Recently, Life Extension developed a specially designed whey protein, using proprietary production methodology, that has been shown to support healthy immune function, protect against free radical attack, and help maintain lean muscle mass.
Using a low temperature microfiltration technique, it is possible to produce a high-quality, 98% undenatured whey protein isolate that acts as a powerful immune stimulant and retains all the important sub-fractions, such as lactoferrin, a strong antioxidant with immune-stimulating properties. Life Extension offers whey protein powders in four flavors that contain added lactoferrin.
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Natural Stress Relief
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It’s hard to find a natural antidote to today’s overstressed world. The encouraging news is that lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a plant native to the Mediterranean region, has been clinically proven to help with anxiety and sleeplessness. What’s more, lemon balm produces these calming effects while also enhancing memory and attention!
Cyracos® lemon balm extract is prepared from special lemon balm chosen for its high concentrations of hydroxycinnamic and rosmarinic acids. These active lemon balm constituents appear to enhance mood by modulating specific nicotinic and muscarinic receptors in the cerebral cortex of the brain. Aside from relieving everyday stress and sleep problems, the anxiety-relieving properties of this plant extract may also offer smokers relief from the mental stress of quitting, aid in leveling mood swings, and help reduce the emotional hunger associated with dieting (or calorie restriction).
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