Benefits of Green Tea for Females

Green tea is commonly known for its antioxidant content and may offer benefits for women specifically. It may protect bone health, prevent HPV-related cervical cancer and reduce breast cancer risk. Research is ongoing, but available data is promising. If you're not currently a green tea drinker, the potential health benefits may offer a reason to make it part of your diet. Green tea contains caffeine, and drinking large amounts may cause issues like trouble sleeping and irritability.

Beneficial Compounds in Green Tea
Green tea contains beneficial compounds known as polyphenols. In your diet, fruits and vegetables are also a good source of various polyphenol compounds. The major group of polyphenols in green tea are called catechins, and the one scientists have studied the most is epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG. Green tea is a rich source of EGCG, which is linked to the heart-health benefits of red wine, along with other compounds may offer benefits unique to women.

May Protect Bone Health
Researchers identified dietary patterns linked to improved bone health and published their findings in the December 2012 issue of the journal Osung Public Health and Research Perspective. The scientists found that a diet rich in green tea as well as milk and dairy is linked to a reduced risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal Korean women. A separate study found that supplementing green tea polyphenols increased muscle strength and markers of bone health in post-menopausal women with low bone density. That study was published in the journal Osteoporosis International in May 2012.

Lowers Breast Cancer Risk
Regularly drinking green tea may protect women against breast cancer, according to a study published in the May 2007 issue of the journal Carcinogenesis. Researchers evaluated a population study in China for links between breast cancer risk and green tea consumption. After analyzing the data and adjusting for certain variables, they found that drinking tea on a regular basis is linked with a lower risk of developing breast cancer. The authors noted a significant reduction based on the amount and regularity of tea drinking.

May Fight Cervical Cancer
Human papilloma virus infections are responsible for most cases of cervical cancer, and scientists are finding that compounds in green tea may offer protection. Because drinking green tea is linked to fewer incidents of cancer, researchers decided to carry out a series of experiments to determine the effect of green tea compounds on HPV-related cervical cancer. In a laboratory study of cervical cells, they found that the compounds EGCG and polyphenol E suppress HPV-related cervical cells and cause cell death in precancerous cells. The authors say the next step is to evaluate the response in women at risk of HPV-related cervical cancer.