Benfits of Tea drinking/Blood pressure

May 30, 2003

Health Sciences Institute e-AlertMay 22, 2003**************************************************************Dear Reader,If I reported to you on every article and study I come across that concerns one of the many health benefits of drinking tea, we could change the name of the e-Alert to the tea-Alert. Today, however, I have a new tea study to tell you about that appears to be a genuinely important breakthrough, as well as great news for daily tea drinkers. Usually when I tell you about something good that tea does for us, the plant compound called flavanoids gets the credit. But for this e-Alert, flavanoids will give up the spotlight to another healthy tea component: an amino acid called L- theanine. -----------------------------Chain reaction -----------------------------The current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences carries a study from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in which researchers isolated L- theanine fromblack tea. (L-theanine is also found in green and oolong tea.) The researchers hypothesized this brief biology lesson: When L-theanine enters the liver, it's converted to a molecule called ethylamine that helps facilitate the work of gamma- delta T cells.These cells promote the secretion of interferon - an important compound that helps the body fight an assortment of infections: viral, parasitic, fungal, and bacteria. The key word in this paragraph (as we'll see in a moment) is "interferon." Using a group of 21 subjects, researchers took blood samples from all, then had 10 of them drink five cups of coffee each day for four weeks, while 11 drank five cups of black tea each day for the same period. At the end of the test period more blood was drawn from each subject. All of the blood samples were then exposed to E-coli bacteria. In response to the bacteria, the blood cells from the tea drinkers secreted five times the amount of interferon as blood samples taken from the same subjects before the test period. The amount of interferon secreted by the blood samples of the coffee drinkers was the same, both before and after the test. Larger trials are needed to thoroughly confirm these results, but the Harvard researchers believe that their study offers a reliable indication that a daily intake of five cups of tea each day can significantly help the immune system fight infection. -----------------------------Chilled out -----------------------------This new research is a welcome addition to what we already know about L-theanine. In an HSI Members Alert that we sent you in January 2002 we described L-theanine as a neurologically active amino acid capable of inducing chemical changes in the brain that leave a person feeling alert but relaxed.Japanese research using human subjects has revealed that L- theanine crossesthe blood-brain barrier and induces several distinct chemical changes in the brain that can reduce feelings of stress. Approximately 30 minutes after it's ingested, L-theanine stimulates production of alpha waves, which can create a feeling of being both alert and deeply relaxed. L-Theanine also stimulates production of gamma aminobutryic acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that limits nerve cell activity in those areas of the brain associated with anxiety. At the Laboratory of Nutritional Biochemistry at the University of Shizuoka in Japan, researchers found that L- theanine also"significantly increased" tryptophan, an amino acid that is the basis of serotonin. As most HSI members I'm sure will know, serotonin is a mood-altering brain chemical, essential in creating a feeling of well-being and relaxation, and may help alleviate symptoms of clinical depression. -----------------------------Don't go there -----------------------------But amazingly, after fighting infection, reducing anxiety and relieving depression, L-theanine is still not done providing health benefits. In another study conducted at the University of Shizuoka (this one in the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences), researchers found that L-theanine may increase the capabilities of a mainstream anticancer drug called Doxorubicin (DOX), which is used to treat tumors. Doctors found that adding L-theanine to the treatment boosted the potency of DOX by preventing the drug from flowing out of the tumor cells. This allowed DOX to be active longer and potentially destroy more cancer cells. This study was conducted with lab animals, so more research is needed, but it provides a very promising indication that the full benefits of L-theanine are still being uncovered. The authors of the Harvard study on the immune system strengths of L-theanine said they hope their research might lead to the development of a L-theanine based pharmaceutical. And if they're determined to go down that road, I'm sure we can't stop them. But in the meantime, they've already given away their secret: five cups of tea daily may provide immeasurable benefits throughout your body. I'll pass on the drugs, thanks, but I think I would like another cup of tea.************************************************************** 3-TIMES MORE DEADLY THAN SMALLPOXNo, it's not anthrax, botulism, or Ebola. You probably haven't heard this pathogen mentioned, yet it has already killed more than 30 million people, making it the most deadly threat in the history of mankind.The coming solution to this bioterrorism agent could be the single best investment you can make in 2003-and it may just save your life.http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/PSI/WPSID531/home.cfm(if you can't open here use the HTML links listed below) **************************************************************..and another thingOver on the HSI Forum a member named Rob posted this question in response to last Monday's e-Alert about blood pressure ("Lowering The High Bar" 5/19/03): "Someone mentioned that the difference between your systolic and diastolic measurements were more critical to predicting a heart attack than the BP reading alone. They went on to say that if the difference is 65 or more, you're in for a heart attack. There are times when this difference for me is above 65 (73 was the worst). Should I get my will in order? Actually, Jenny, I was hoping you'd be able to get one of your experts to comment on this and save me from worrying myself into ulcers." Between systolic and diastolic, your systolic pressure (the first number in the blood pressure reading) is generally considered the more important indicator of heart health - especially for those age 50 or older. As for the importance of the difference between the two pressures, I asked HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., to explain and here's how he answered Rob's question: "What you're talking about is called 'pulse pressure,' or the differential between the high reading and the low one. Nothing guarantees that you'll have (or not have) a heart attack. Many heart attacks occur with low serum levels of cholesterol, for example, so don't head into ulcer state yet! Also, the powers-that-be are now telling us that any pressure above 120/80 up to 140/90 is 'pre-hypertension' and they're even suggesting that we get started early on drug therapies, which sounds suspiciously like an attempt to bail out the drug companies to me."However, physiologically a high pulse pressure may indicate that the blood vessels are not as 'elastic' as they might be, implying that they are not in peak condition (healthy, elastic arteries stretch to handle pressure changes and therefore lower the 'tops' and 'bottoms' of big peaks). Therefore, you do want to respect pulse pressures hitting 75, not by worrying yourself into ulcers but by getting educated on actual ways to treat the situation."Get a serum homocysteine level and a C-reactive protein, then talk with your doc. Those are the most sensitive tests, and can give a good baseline of where you are as you take steps to improve. Then, if they indicate a problem, get started on what can fix 'em...folic acid, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, maybe some magnesium, vitamin C (gram doses), and a good multi withOUT iron, for a start. Then, go to www.acam.org and learn about IV chelation."That way you'll have a proactive avenue of attack against a defeatable enemy, instead of sitting home swallowing antacids and worrying yourself to death!" If Dr. Spreen has helped save Rob from both a heart attack AND an ulcer, I'd say that's a pretty good day's work. To Your Good Health,Jenny ThompsonHealth Sciences Institute************************************************************** Stronger Than SteroidsGet cortisone-like relief in a week...then help repair damaged cartilage...WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS! This all natural breakthrough leaves old standbys in the dust...For faster relief and complete joint support! Find out how you can relieve and rebuild your* Aching BACK* Stiff HIPS* Creaky KNEES* Throbbing ANKLES* Frozen NECK* "Trick" ELBOW* Burning KNUCKLES* Or any other JOINT complaint...http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/650SV05/W650D528/home.cfm(if you can't open here use the HTML links listed below) **************************************************************Sources: "Antigens in Tea-Beverage Prime Human T Cells In Vitro and In Vivo for Memory and Nonmemory Antibacterial Cytokine Responses" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, V. 100, No. 10, 6009-6014, 5/13/03, pnas.org "A Cup of Tea May Be Germs' New Enemy - Study Finds Tea Sharpens Body's Defense Against Infection" Associated Press, 4/22/03, edition.cnn.com "Tea is Good for You" Health 24, 5/15/03, health24.co.za Copyright ©1997-2003 by www.hsibaltimore.com, L.L.C.The e-Alert may not be posted on commercial sites without writtenpermission.HTML links for AOL, CompuServe and other users3-TIMES MORE DEADLY THAN SMALLPOX <ahref="http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/650SV05/W650D528/home.cfm">STRONGERTHAN STEROIDS**************************************************************If you'd like to participate in the HSI Forum, search past e-Alerts andproducts or you're an HSI member and would like to search past articles, visit http://www.hsibaltimore.com**************************************************************To learn more about HSI, call (203) 699-4416 or visit http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/HSI/WHSIC313/home.cfm.Sandy Mintzhttp://www.vaccinationnews.com http://www.vaccinationnews.com/Scandals/past_scandals.htm "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." - Wendell Phillips (1811-1884),paraphrasing John Philpot Curran (1808) http://www.909shot.com http://www.redflagsweekly.com