Prostate Tea

A study suggests that green tea can prevent enlargement of the prostate, a common symptom for men in their 50s or older.

The research team led by Professor Cho Yong-hyun and Park Deok-jin of the Catholic University’s Medical School said the team concluded from animal experiments that catechin-rich green tea slows the progress of prostate enlargement. Catechin is a chemical that makes green tea taste bitter and is known involved in controls of secretion of several hormones.

The team injected testosterone into male white laboratory rats to enlarge their prostate and then gave them catechin for four weeks.

The experiment showed that prostates of a group of rats injected catechin enlarged from 330mg to 415mg while the control group of rats saw their prostate get larger to 970mg.

The professor said, “Examination of tissues also demonstrated catechin reduces an increase in the epithelial cells of the prostate. We’re going to apply the results of this study to clinical trials”

Enlargement of the prostate causes problems with urination because of abnormally enlarged prostate glands of the urinary tract. The bladder and kidney of patients with severe prostate enlargement can’t function properly.

The team published the results in the December issue of the Korean Urological Association Journal and is expected to introduce their study in the meeting of the European Association of Urology in April.