I Would Sooner Tea – Tea Consumption Found to Reduce Risk of Stroke

July 26, 2009 -- posted by FitcomHealth.com

Tea drinking, particularly green tea consumption has always been known to foster good health. There is evidence that it can prevent certain forms of cancers and to allay Alzheimer's. A new study has found that tea consumption to significantly lower risk of stroke.

Dr. Andy H. Lee, of Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia, and his colleagues conducted a study in China and published their findings in the journal Stroke.

People in the study who reported drinking at least one cup of tea per week for more than 30 years had a 60% lower risk of ischemic stroke.

"Tea is a safe and healthy beverage…long-term tea drinking should be encouraged."

~ Dr. Andy H. Lee, of Curtin University of Technology, Perth

Tea is a beneficial drink that can fend of certain cancers, reduce the chances of contracting Alzheimer's, and prevent strokes

Ischemic stroke occurs when oxygen-delivering arteries in the brain become partially or completely blocked. It's unclear why tea would protect against stroke, but the authors of the study note that previous research has suggested that tea or its components might reduce high blood pressure and other risk factors.

Green Tea and Oolong Teas Found to be Best

Those who drank more than 2 cups of tea daily had about a 40% lower risk of such strokes, and the risks were even lower in those who drank 2 cups daily of particular teas: Their study in the journal Stroke links drinking green and oolong teas with 72% and 79% lower risk for ischemic stroke, respectively.

"Tea is a safe and healthy beverage," Lee told Reuters Health. To obtain optimal benefits, "long-term tea drinking should be encouraged," he said.

The people in the study had an average age of 69 years. Of these, 374 had a medically confirmed ischemic stroke, and 464 (the "control" group) had no history of cardiovascular disease or medical conditions that placed them at increased stroke risk.

The population study was relegated to those who had confirmed ischemic stroke and the control group who had none. The stroke group had higher rate of high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking. By contrast, the control group reported higher fruit and vegetable intake and a longer duration of tea drinking.

The researchers also took into account gender, body mass, level of education, lifelong physical activity, smoking and alcohol intake, the presence of high blood pressure, cholesterol level, diabetes, and weekly dietary intake.

Though these findings are consistent with previous research from Japan, Lee and colleagues suggest further investigations among populations in other countries, plus studies to "ascertain whether tea consumption can enhance survival of stroke patients," Lee said.

Source: Reuters Health

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