Can Matcha Green Tea Help Prevent Breast Cancer?

In 2003, a report was published by the University of Colorado about the concentration and potency of EGCGs (Epigallocatechin Gallate) – a powerful antioxidant found in green tea, and in a much higher concentration in Matcha green tea.

Researches of that study discovered that the content of EGCGs in Matcha was much higher than that in regular green tea, about 137 times higher.

EGCGs have been shown to be able to help reduce inflammation along with estrogen mediators in breast tissue. This means, EGCGs can help eradicate breast cancer cells. Also, EGCGs have shown to inhibit the fresh blood flow that feeds breast cancer tumours and reduce the growth of breast cancer stem cells. It even can help to prevent DNA damage.  

EGCGs are not the only cancer beating property in Matcha green tea. Matcha contains very high levels of catechins. Catechins are a type of antioxidants which are found in the most concentrated form in Camellia Sinensis – the plant which all teas come from. Catechins are also found in red wine, apples, berries and chocolate, albeit in lower quantities. Researchers have been studying the health benefits of catechins since the 1990s.

Catechins are composed of 4 phytochemical compounds and the most potent of them is EGCG. However, catechin-related studies on human subjects have not yet been fully conclusive. The catechins in Matcha tea break the molecular link between infection and cancer. Matcha’s EGCGs can break down the growth of tumours, without having any apoptotic effect on the healthy cells. Matcha also helps to neutralise the impact of free radicals, which enter the body through pollution, radiation, chemicals and ultraviolet rays.

According to the University Of Maryland Medical Center, a study conducted on 472 women with various stages of cancer found that the women whose intake of green tea was the highest suffered the least spread of cancer. This was more evident among premenopausal women in the early stages of breast cancer who had the habit of drinking at least 5 cups of green tea a day before being diagnosed. These women were less likely to experience a recurrence once their treatment is over. However, on women in the later stages of breast cancer, there is little improvement that can be attributed to drinking green tea. By breaking down the sample by age, researchers found that the women who were under 50 years of age were less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer if they consume 3 or more cups of tea as compared to the women who didn’t drink tea at all.

According to a study published in the Journal of Chromatography Matcha tea has 3 times as much EGCGs than regular green tea. The USDA has a unit of measurement which relates to the concentration of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables. This unit is called O.R.A.C or Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity. Here’s a list of the most antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables on the planet.

With only 1 cup of Matcha tea, you can reap that benefit. Not only that, your body will also get the benefit of 9 more cups of green tea with only 1 cup of Matcha. So only 1 cup of Matcha equates 10 cups of regular green tea when it comes to cancer-fighting.

A lot of studies have been conducted and many are ongoing that have demonstrated the efficacy of EGCGs as a powerful tumour annihilator. Research has showed reduced recurrence of breast cancer in premenopausal patients with stages I and II breast cancer after an increase in consumption of green tea. EGCGs are also thought to be anti-carcinogenic by scientists.

With therapeutic properties, Matcha tea plays both an antioxidant and pro-oxidant (Pro-oxidants are chemicals that encourage oxidative stress, which can damage tissues and cells)

Matcha:

• Can slow down the growth of melanomas
• Stimulates healthy cells
• Removes free radicals
• Causes pro-oxidative reactions in tumour cells
• Has EGCGs which inhibits the growth of new tumour cells and stimulates the cytoplasm to self-destruct
• Can be effective in the prevention of other cancers such as pancreatic cancer, intestinal cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, bladder cancer, prostrate cancer, skin cancer, and lung cancer

EGCGs in Matcha augment the therapeutic effect of Temozolomide, which is medication for brain tumours. The polyphenols suppress angiogenesis in bladder cancer and also contribute to the division of healthy cells in the body in the unfortunate case of lymph node cancer.

Apart from having anti-cancer properties, Matcha also has an impressive effect on the breakdown and absorption of cancer medication in the body. Some breast cancer patients are Tamoxifen-resistant. Matcha shows positive results in the treatment of those patients as well. The catechins in Matcha inhibit the growth of cancer cells by reducing the protein production and inhibit the formation of tumour metastases.

 

 

Back to the EGCGs, they decrease cell division and stimulate the destruction of cells in leiomyoma cancer. Matcha can also help prevent cerebral infarction (death of cerebral cells). Although a lot of research has been conducted, more research is needed, as to how exactly Matcha works to fight cancer and how it could be used more in the treatment of this deadly disease.

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