Green tea catechins are not actually antioxidants. On the contrary, they promote oxidative processes and thereby improve the body’s defenses, like vaccination.
A group of scientists from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich found that the effects of green tea on the body are much more complex than previously thought.
As you know, the drink contains catechins that slow down the aging process. These substances were thought to be antioxidants that prevent oxidative stress in the body caused by free oxygen radicals.
“ECG and EGCG are considered antioxidants, which means they counteract or prevent oxidative stress in the body caused by aggressive free radicals of oxygen,” explained sr co-author Professor Michael Ristow.
“Until now, it was assumed that these catechins neutralize free radicals and thus prevent damage to cells or DNA.”
“One source of oxygen free radicals is metabolism; for example, when the mitochondria — the powerhouses of the cell — are working to produce energy.”
“We took a closer look at how catechins act in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans and came to a different, seemingly paradoxical conclusion: rather than suppressing oxidative stress, green tea catechins promote it.”
Thus, they help to avoid damage to cells or DNA. However, experiments on the nematode worms C. elegans have shown that green tea polyphenols do not suppress oxidative stress, but contribute to it.
“That means green tea catechins aren’t in fact antioxidants, but rather pro-oxidants that improve the organism’s ability to defend itself, similar to a vaccination,” Dr. Ristow noted.
The authors of the work noted that a short-term surge in oxidative stress allows the body to adapt to this harmful process and enhance the protective capabilities of cells.
Experiments confirmed that catechins prolonged life and improved the physical condition of the experimental nematodes.
Ristow recommended drinking green tea: in black tea, beneficial prooxidants are destroyed due to fermentation.
“Black tea, on the other hand, contains a much lower level of catechins, since these are largely destroyed by the fermentation process. That’s why green tea is preferable to black tea.”
The findings were published in the journal Aging, Sci News reports.
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