News - Green Tea may ease stress
By Holly Taylor BSc (Hons) DipCNM MBANT
According to World Health Organization estimates, more than 450 million people suffer from stress worldwide. Green tea has a positive reputation in many areas of health, with studies reporting it may offer protective effects against Alzheimer's and certain cancers, and play a positive role in weight m
anagement.
There is also research that indicates that green tea, or its constituents, might reduce stress but, until recently, the relationship between green tea consumption and psychological distress had not been investigated in a large-scale study. The recently-published results of the Ohsaki Study provide the first real evidence for a link between green tea consumption and reduced stress levels.
The Japanese researchers analysed data for 42,093 Japanese individuals, aged 40 or above, from the general population. Information on daily green tea consumption, stress and other lifestyle factors were collected using a questionnaire. The scientists then compared the participants’ stress levels with the number of cups of green tea they drank each day. When analysing the data, the scientists found that those participants who drank at least five cups of green tea per day were much less likely to suffer from stress, compared to those who drank less than one cup per day. Further controlled studies are now needed to uncover the possible mechanisms behind green tea’s stress- busting effects.
Article References
Hozawa A et al. Green tea consumption is associated with lower psychological distress in a general population: The Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Sep 30. [Epub ahead of print]
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