Green tea good for your bones

Yet more reasons to brew up a cup of green tea

When you drop a couple of tea bags (or spoonfuls of loose tea, if you’re a purist) into a pot of boiling water, the odds are that it’s black Indian tea that you’re brewing. But according to a recent study, switching to green tea (Camellia sinesis) could be good for your bones.

Green tea is made from unfermented leaves, and is believed to contain high concentrations of polyphenols. These are powerful antioxidants that combat free radicals, substances we all have that damage body tissue. Studies in the past have indicated that green tea may help prevent coronary heart disease, high cholesterol and cancer, and may help treat liver infection and aid weight loss. In fact, a recent study followed over 12,250 older green-tea drinkers in Japan. It found that those who drank seven or more cups of green tea a day had a lower risk of dying from a number of causes, including cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer, than those who drank less than one cup a day.

Green tea

Now researchers in Hong Kong have found new evidence that green tea may be good for our bones. In laboratory experiments the scientists found that one of the main components in green tea – epigallocatechin (EGC) boosted a key enzyme that promotes bone growth by up to 79 percent. EGC also boosted bone mineralisation in cells, which has the effect of strengthening bones, and reduced the activity of osteoclast cells that weaken bones.

Green tea seems to have a lot going for it, but as ever, the work isn’t over. “Several studies have suggested that tea may have benefits for bone but more research is needed,” said Claire Bowring of the National Osteoporosis Society. “Some of these studies have suggested tea may have a positive effect on bone health but more research is needed before we can make any conclusions about actual benefits for people with osteoporosis. Large scale clinical trials could help to determine if there is any fracture prevention benefits of these chemicals found in tea.”