title: Antioxidant beverages: green tea intake and coronary artery disease.
abstract: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is recognized as an inflammatory disease. In the present study, we investigated the effect of green tea consumption on plasma inflammatory markers and the association between green tea consumption and CAD. In 22 healthy volunteers, green tea consumption (7 cups/day) significantly decreased serum malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) concentrations, whereas green tea consumption tended to decrease plasma C-reactive protein and interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations. In 725 patients undergoing coronary angiography, the percentage of patients drinking <1 cup/day of green tea was higher in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) than in CAD patients without MI and patients without CAD (29% vs. 15% and 18%, P < 0.01). Green tea consumption was found to be inversely associated with MI in Japanese patients. The protective effect of green tea against atherosclerosis is more likely to be because of the inhibitory effect of LDL oxidation than because of anti-inflammatory effect.
authors.affiliation: Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ohmori
authors.affiliation: Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Momiyama
keywords: antioxidant; coronary artery disease; green tea; inflammation; myocardial infarction