Benefits of Tea Explained
BOSTON (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Many studies have touted the health benefits of drinking tea, but what makes tea so healthy?
According to a new study from researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, certain substances in tea may jump start the immune system, making it better able to fight off infections.
Scientists know human immune cells called T cells mediate our natural immunity to microbes by helping the immune system recognize antigens that are found in tumor cells, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. When introduced into the body, these antigens stimulate the body to produce antibodies to fight off the infection and build up future immunity. These antigens are also found in edible plants, such as tea, apples, mushrooms, and wine. In this study, investigators zeroed in on the way tea generates antigens that impact T cell function.
First, the investigators conducted a cellular study showing how T cells exposed to certain antigens are able to "remember" them if re-exposed. The antigens also fostered a response to whole bacteria and other substances. Investigators then analyzed blood samples from people who drank tea, noting similar results. Substances in the tea primed the T cells to remember the same antigens upon re-exposure and triggered the cells to secrete a substance in response to exposure to bacteria.
The authors conclude, "These data provide evidence that dietary intake of tea and perhaps other vegetables and fruits ... may prime human T cells that then can provide natural resistance to microbial infections and perhaps tumors."
SOURCE: To be Published in an upcoming issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
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