Fitness and Health

Tea may prevent cancer endometrioEl tea may protect against endometrial cancer, but further studies are needed before stating that antioxidant-rich infusion provides that benefit.

Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, after water, and several studies examined whether the beverage derived from the plant Camellia sinensis protects or not of various cancers.

Animal studies had shown that the polyphenols in tea have a dampening effect of the tumor, but the results of endometrial cancer did not show a clear benefit.

Endometrial cancer that forms in the uterine lining, or endometrium, is the fourth most common cancer in American women. The National Cancer Institute estimates about 42,000 new cases per year and nearly 7,800 deaths.

A team from the National Center for Safety Evaluation and Research of New Drugs in Shanghai, China, reviewed several studies on the role of green and black tea in the prevention of this cancer.

While studies indicate that drinking tea, especially green tea, may offer some protection, the team notes that the limited amount of research shows that more studies are needed.

The review, published in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, included several studies. The researchers compared first to those who consumed tea regularly with those who did not often or who did not drink this infusion.

The authors then compared the effects between low, moderate consumption and high consumption of tea.

After considering the ways in which different studies have measured the intake of tea, the researchers found that an increase of two cups of tea was associated with a 25 percent lower risk of developing endometrial cancer.

The association was significant for green tea, but not for black tea. Studies in China and Japan showed a protective effect and no research conducted in the United States.

The team attributed the difference in results to some factor not studied, such as diet, lifestyle or genetic differences. For example, tea drinkers in the United States tended to drink black tea, while most of the drinkers in China and Japan ingested green tea.

Finally, measurement of exposure is a complex area. In studies, consumption was measured daily cups, but the size of the cups may have varied according to participants and countries.

If the tea protects against endometrial cancer, would be due to several factors. Endometrial cancer is associated with late menopause or infertility, and caffeine in tea can affect hormones.

Previous studies have found that tea contains antioxidants that might counteract tumor development. Tea also contains phytoestrogens, which are compounds that protect them from endometrial cancer because it could interfere with estrogen receptors.

It is difficult to generalize the results of this review because the available studies addressed only three countries and because the authors found only seven studies eligible for review.

However, the team said that tea drinkers had some evidence of reduced risk of endometrial cancer, although more research is needed on this potential connection.