Green Tea for Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief
Antioxidants in green tea may prevent and reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU’s) School of Medicine study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The researchers found that green tea significantly reduced the severity of rheumatoid arthritis.
Researchers found that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) – inhibited the production of several molecules in the immune system that contribute to inflammation and joint damage in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
The compound from green tea was found to suppress the inflammatory products in the connective tissue of people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Anecdotal evidence indicates that people in countries where green tea is consumed are far less likely to have rheumatoid arthritis, said the study’s senior author, Hasan Mukhtar, professor of dermatology.
The inflammatory chemicals that the green tea component has been shown to block are some of the same chemicals blocked by cutting-edge biologic drugs taken for some several autoimmune diseases.
NCCAM-funded investigators at the University of Maryland and Rutgers University examined the effects of green tea polyphenols on RA by using an animal model in rats. The animals consumed green tea in their drinking water (controls drank water only) for 1 to 3 weeks before being injected with heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra to induce arthritis.
In each of three different study groups, the mice given the green tea polyphenols were significantly less likely to develop arthritis. Of the 18 mice that received the green tea, only eight (44 percent) developed arthritis. Among the 18 mice that did not receive the green tea, all but one (94 percent) developed arthritis. In addition, researchers noted that the eight arthritic mice that received the green tea polyphenols developed less severe forms of arthritis.
How is green tea effective for rheumatoid arthritis?
Green tea contains a type of polyphenol known as epigallocatechin-3 gallate, or EGCG, that inhibits the expression of the interieukin-8 gene. This is a key gene involved in the rheumatoid arthritis-inflammatory response. Researchers theorize that "more may be better" when it comes to green tea reducing the inflammatory response as EGCG shortcircuits the process that leads to inflammation.
The researchers suggest that green tea affects arthritis by causing changes in various arthritis-related immune responses—it suppresses both cytokine IL-17 (an inflammatory substance) and antibodies to Bhsp65 (a disease-related antigen), and increases cytokine IL-10 (an anti-inflammatory substance). Therefore, they recommend that green tea be further explored as a dietary therapy for use together with conventional treatment for managing RA.
Only green tea is beneficial NOT black tea
Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.
An even better option is white tea.
White tea is the unfermented, uncured tea leaf. As with green tea, which is heat cured, white tea comes from the plant Camellia Sinensis plant, which grows in many Asian countries.
Whereas green tea tends to contain older leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant, white tea is made from the buds and young leaves and is thought to have higher levels of antioxidants.
White tea is the purest form of the Camellia Sinensis leaf. White tea is simply picked, washed and dried, giving it a fragile, flaky texture when dry and a very light gentle flavor. White tea is the least processed of all the teas, and therefore is highest in antioxidant, while it is lowest in caffeine.
White tea tea has taken a spotlight in American health studies due to its remarkably high levels of EGCG, a natural antioxidant.
White tea’s anti-oxidants may be able to prevent and reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis. Several studies have shown dramatic reduction in the incidents of rheumatoid arthritis in mice that were fed white tea. In addition, the mice that did develop arthritis developed a milder form with an onset later in life. In addition, rheumatoid arthritis is far less common in the Asian world, where tea drinking is much more frequent.
Researchers have found that the plant outperformed a number of other plant and herb extracts, including rose, green tea and pomegranate.
New research at the School of Life Sciences at Kingston University in South West London indicates that white tea reduces the risk of inflammation in those with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis(RA).
The findings published in the August issue of Complementary and Alternative Medicine state that white tea prevented the activity of certain enzymes that are associated with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Green and white tea serving tips:
1. Use pure filtered water. Do not use fluoridated water to brew your tea. Fluoride causes symptoms identical to arthritis. According to Dr. Robert Carton, Past President of the EPA union, in an interview in Professional Perspectives on Water Fluoridation. Fluoride also exacerbates symptoms of those with existing rheumatoid arthritis.
2. Avoid boiling hot water. Steeping tea too hot may cause it to lose its health properties. As with any plant, there is a big difference between the cooked and raw leaves.
