While green tea has been studied for its numerous health
benefits, there’s at least one area of interest that needs
more attention.

Can drinking green tea really enhance fertility?

Now that’s the one-hundred-thousand dollar question! There’s
a lot of conflicting opinions and research results
pertaining to that subject. We’ll try to be fair and present
both sides of the issue.

Any tea made from the Camellia sinensis bush contains
caffeine. On the bright side of the teapot, green tea has
only one-sixth to one-tenth of the amount of caffeine that a
similar amount of regular coffee contains.

For those of us who are trying to watch our caffeine intake,
that’s a good deal. If you need a caffeine fix though, green
tea isn’t going to give you what you’re looking for. Better
start looking for the nearest Starbucks.

How can drinking green tea increase fertility?

A study done by the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program
in Oakland, California revealed that the chances of
conceiving doubled for woman who daily drank more than one-
half cup of green tea containing caffeine (American Journal
of Public Health, 1998). Because this wasn’t the case for
the other tested caffeinated beverages, caffeine wasn’t
deemed the causing agent. Some credit was given to the
possibility that the polyphenols and hypoxanthine, compounds
found in tea, resulted in a greater number of viable
embryos, and increased maturation and fertilizability of
oocytes.

Another conclusion of this study was that the healthy
lifestyle of many green tea drinkers, such as regular
exercise and decreased smoking and fat intake, might also
play a role in the enhanced fertility levels of the test
subjects.

How can drinking green tea decrease fertility?

Tannic acids, an element found in green tea, have been shown
to cause fertility problems and greater chances at
miscarrying.

While not an “initial” fertility situation, rumor has it
that EGCG, the main disease-fighting antioxidant known as
catechins in green tea that have been found to impede the
growth of tumors, might also effect the blood vessel growth
of a developing embryo.

Another post-fertility issue related to an excessive intake
of green tea involves the increased rate of birth defects.

Past studies have concluded that coffee consumption
increases the risk of miscarriages and that caffeine intake
enhances the negative effects of alcohol intake on
fertility. While not directly related to green tea, caffeine
is the potential cause of such problems.

Should I or shouldn’t I drink green tea for fertility
issues?

The best advice that we can give you is something you’ve
heard before. Check with your doctor first. Do your
homework. Then and only then can you make a truly educated
and well-informed decision about a very delicate issue.
Whatever you decide, we wish you the best of luck in your
quest for that new addition to your family. Cheers…

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Copyright: 2005 Vaughn Balchunas

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Vaughn Balchunas is a writer and publisher of health, and self-growth articles.
For more information about tea and health go to:
http://www.tea-guide.com
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Of all the controversial claims about green tea’s health benefits, the one that draws the most scepticism is the claim that it could be a cure for cancer. While it is almost certainly not a cure, however, many studies appear to show that lifelong green tea drinking does in fact reduce the risk of cancer in later life.

The biggest piece of evidence in support of this theory is known as the ‘Asian paradox’. The Asian paradox, according to researchers at Yale, is that Asia has very high levels of cigarette smoking, yet lower cancer rates than Europe or America. The researchers believe that the difference between the places lies in the Asians’ consumption of large amounts of green tea (over a litre a day on average).

Other studies have supported this view: one study comparing elderly Japanese people who drank green tea with ones who didn’t found that the green tea drinkers tended to live a few years longer. Studies at Murcia University in Spain found that a chemical in green tea called EGCG is very similar to the cancer drug methotrexate, in that it appears to kill cancer cells in the same way. This is some of the most encouraging research yet, as methotrexate is a drug with many unpleasant side effects, and replacing it with green tea could work very well.

However, the unfortunate counterpoint to all this is that very large quantities of green tea have actually been found to cause cancer in lab rats, suggesting that too much green tea can be worse for you than none at all - perhaps a similar effect to the one red wine has. The state of the research overall is inconclusive, as few drug companies are interested in funding studies into something that is seen as ‘alternative‘ medicine, the testing is left to interested but under-funded universities. Hopefully, over the next few decades, there will be more interest in investigating the health benefits of green tea, and we will finally get our answer.

John Gibb is the owner of http://www.green-tea-guidance.info, For more information on green tea check out http://www.green-tea-guidance.info

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The health benefits of green tea have been trumpeted in the media recently. Even though the claims may be exaggerated, if you’re going to drink much of any beverage other than water, tea is probably your best choice.

Tea is water plus phytochemicals including caffeine, and very little else unless you add a lot of sugar. Both green and black tea come from the same plant, camellia sinensis. To make green tea, the leaves are steamed, rolled and dried. For black tea, the leaves are dried, then fermented and fired.

Both green and black tea contain phytochemicals that have been linked to reduced rates of certain types of cancers. When brewed at normal strength, both contain about half of the caffeine found in a cup of coffee. If caffeine is a concern, de-caffeinated teas are available.

Herbal teas are dried leaves of a wide variety of plants, which you steep in hot water as you would regular tea. They are generally caffeine free. Many claims are made for the phytochemicals found in herbal teas, but all we can safely say is: yes, they do contain phytochemicals, which may be beneficial or harmful, depending on the plant used and the amount you drink. If you have hay fever or other allergies, be aware that herbal teas made from plants in the family you are sensitive to can trigger the same reactions.

Tea appears to be healthful and may contribute phytochemicals to your diet that you would not otherwise get. So enjoy your tea, but remember, what is beneficial in moderation may be harmful in large amounts. That’s true for all foods, not just tea. If you need to drink more than a few cups of a beverage, make it water.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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