Study: Green Tea May Defend Against Liver Damage
November 26, 2009 by Personal Liberty News Desk
According to a new study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, the consumption of green tea may help protect the liver from hepatic fibrosis, one of the leading causes of cirrhosis.
The research team, led by professor Hong-Yon Cho from Korea University, induced lab rats with hepatic fibrosis, administrated green tea and then took tissue samples.
Researchers found that green tea helped reduce the deposition of collagen fibers, which lead to scarring in the liver, thereby ameliorating the condition.
The authors of the study concluded that "green tea provides a safe and effective strategy for improving hepatic fibrosis."
Meanwhile, in a recent study in the Cancer Prevention Research Journal, scientists found that green tea may assist in the prevention of oral cancer, according to NaturalNews.com.
In the study, a total of 41 oral leukoplakia patients at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center were split into two groups. One was given green tea extract and one was given a placebo.
Although there was no difference in oral cancer development between the two groups, it took much longer for the disease to develop in the patients who took the green tea extract.
"While still very early and not definitive proof that green tea is an effective preventive agent, these results certainly encourage more study for patients at [the] highest risk for oral cancer," said Vassiliki Papadimitrakopoulou, senior author of the study, quoted the news source. 
Isn’t tea just wonderful? It also helps to keep your liver lean so you don’t get a fatty liver. It can help protect you whether this is a threat because you drink too much or eat too much. Of course, you need to eat and drink in moderation. But you can have a little extra tea.
Interesting article. I’ve tried green tea, but it has an acquired taste; so maybe there’s a good tasting kind of green tea out there somewhere. Thanks for the article…and thanks Jason for your info.
Fed Up Gal
Follow-up info: Well, since my last post on 27 Nov (and related to this article)….I decided to give the green tea another try. I tried Salada brand Green Tea bags and made ice tea, which I prefer to hot tea. I found I really do like the green (ice tea) version now.
Hopefully, green tea (ice tea version) still has the same health benefits as the hot tea version.
Bob L, Dr Wiley, Jason Witt, or others: Your thoughts please. Thank you!
Fed Up Gal
Dear Fed Up Gal,
Here is Dr. Wiley’s response to your question about iced green tea:
Room temperature or warm beverages are always better than cold or iced. The cold attribute of the iced tea reduces the temperature of the stomach, and if there is food there to be digested… causes “food stagnation.” This can lead to pain, impaired digestion and a slowing of nutrient absorption and distribution. With this in mind, while I do not have a specific study in mind that indicates the intrinsic value of green tea being “lost” or “diminished” when taken cold or iced… it is always best to take warm beverages, especially if pain or indigestion are an issue. Keeping digestion active, food moving, blood moving, nutrients absorbing and waste eliminating is one of the pillars of optimal health!
Best wishes,
Bob
Bob/Dr Wiley,
Thank you for your response. I will give it another go (on the hot side)! Thanks again.
Fed Up Gal
Well, I love green tea. I have read so much about how it is an anti viral. I had been using this for some time for hepatitis but lately it makes my liver hurt. I had to stop drinking it. I would have 3 cups a day with 2 tea bags. I did a Google search about green tea and was surprised to find that some studies show green tea can cause damage the liver in large doses. I stopped drinking it and the pain went away.