Dr. Mercola October 13 2007 36,153 views
A compound in green tea, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), works as well in moderately diabetic mice as GlaxoSmithKline’s diabetes drug Avandia, according to researchers from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.In the study, 5-week-old moderately diabetic and severely diabetic mice were fed EGCG or given Avandia. After five and 10 weeks of treatment, the blood sugar and insulin levels of the mice were tested.Moderately diabetic mice did just as well on the green tea extract as they did on Avandia. Severely diabetic mice did not benefit as much from EGCG.Researchers said the EGCG, though less potent than Avandia, “exerted changes that were similarly beneficial.”Upon examining the mice’s pancreases at the end of the study, the researchers found that EGCG preserved insulin-producing tissue and limited damage that could worsen diabetes.The results suggest that green tea extract supplements may also help treat diabetes in humans.Worldwide, more than 240 million people have diabetes, and the number may reach 380 million within two decades, according to the International Diabetes Federation.European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting in Amsterdam, Netherlands September 19, 2007The China Post September 21, 2007
You said it right, Bridestein! In Japan, we drink green tea until it's coming out our ears, but we have an epidemic of diabetes to match America's. From my observations, it has a lot to do with sugar addiction and the myth that only carbs are good for you, but pesticides and various kinds of pollution are probably also to blame.
I feel like some of the comments speculating on what people might "do" with the information were very obnoxious and pretentious. I'm an insulin-dependent diabetic and have been that way since I was a child. My diet would rival Dr. Mercola's. I've tried his guide on 'how to make diabetes disappear," and unforutunately it hasn't worked for me. Therefore, I'm personally intrigued by the green tea news. I'm specifically referring to the comment regarding diabetics 'having their cake and eating it too' and 'excuses to eat fried apples." While we all know that idiots like that exist, there are many people like me who could use the information to improve on theri long=time diabetic struggle. Not all forms of diabetes respond to diet control.
Whether the study actually means anything is a whole other story, especially considering the fact (that another reader pointed out) that the diabetic epidemic in Japanese population is rising despite Japan's high green tea consumption. Perhpas a study should be conducted amongst green tea drinking folks and diabetics so that we can find out a real solid answer. Of course, like another commenter also pointed out, no pharmaceutical company would ever fund that study since it would only lead to the demise of their profit on insulin if the study did in fact yield promising results.