Green tea may have compounds that can slow the growth of prostate cancer. In a small preliminary trial, men with prostate cancer took EGCG (epi-gallo-catechin-3-gallate). This compound specific to green tea reduced the levels of prostate cancer proteins in the patients’ blood. The men took EGCG in capsules between the time they were diagnosed and the time they underwent surgery, usually about a month later. To get the same amount of EGCG from tea, a person would need to consume approximately 12 cups daily–probably more green tea than most men want to drink. The researchers say their promising results lay the groundwork for a larger placebo-controlled trial.
[Cancer Prevention Research, July 2009]
