Black tea reduces uric acid and C-reactive protein levels in humans susceptible to cardiovascular diseases.
The effect of black tea on the level of uric acid (UA) and C-reactive proteins (CRP) in humans susceptible to ischemic heart diseases was assessed in a prospective randomized controlled study. The study group consumed 9 g of black tea (equivalent to three cups of tea) daily for 12 weeks without additives followed by a 3-week wash-out (with control group consuming equivalent volume of hot water). Black tea consumption induced a highly significant decrease in the high uric acid baseline groups > 6 mg/dL by 8.5%; p < 0.05. For men and women in the base line group > 7 mg/dL, the decrease was 9.4% and 7.1%, respectively. In the low baseline serum uric acid levels there was a non-significant increase of 3.7% and 15% in men and women, respectively. C-reactive protein in the high risk group > 3mg/L was significantly decreased by 53.4% and 41.1% in men and women, respectively. For the non-supplemented group in this range the changes were 3.7% decrease for men and 2.9% increase for women. Tea supplementation-associated decrease in plasma uric acid and C-reactive protein levels may benefit humans at high risk of cardiovascular events and may augment drug therapy.
Bahorun
Theeshan
T
Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius. tbahorun@uom.ac.mu
Luximon-Ramma
Amitabye
A
Gunness
Teeluck K
TK
Sookar
Dharmendra
D
Bhoyroo
Satar
S
Jugessur
Rabindranath
R
Reebye
Deshmukh
D
Googoolye
Kreshna
K
Crozier
Alan
A
Aruoma
Okezie I
OI
D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013662:Tea; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
D013662:Tea; D014527:Uric Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein