Drinking green tea keeps off urinary tract infections
Millions of people have problems controlling their bladder. Bladders and bladder disease is not a respecter of sex or race. In fact, approximately ten million Americans are reported to have one type of bladder problem or the other and this disease can include incontinence or interstitial cystitis. Interstitial cystitis is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes frequent, urgent and painful urination and pelvic discomfort.
Bladder infection (cystitis) may also arise from infections in other areas of the body, such as the kidneys, prostate or urethra. Continual draining of pus and germs from an infected kidney as in a condition known as pyelonephritis may also injure the epithelial lining of the bladder, leading to serious and painful condition.
According to medical explaination, trouble may also arise from the presence of a stone in either bladder or kidney. An enlarged prostate or some stricture or narrowing of the urethra can also wear down the resistance of the bladder wall thus resulting in cystitis. Other condition that may also lead to the infection of the bladder include childbirth injuries and major surgical procedures within the pelvis.
Diabetes especially if not properly controlled could sometimes be a major factor for the development of bladder disease. There is also another problem which new brides may sometime experience called honeymoon cystitis. When this happened, the bladder wall may become swollen and ulcerated to the extent that the bladder cannot may not hold the normal amount of urine. If not properly treated, germs may then find their way into the bladder and bring about chemical changes in the urine, and eventually, calcium may then be deposited in the wall of the bladder, thus increasing the patient’s discomfort.
When a person suffer from bladder infection or disease and it does not tackle it on times she patient may complain of frequency or burning sensation while urinating, as well as continuous urge to void. The patient may also complain of feeling of pain in the pelvis and lower part of the abdomen. Blood may also be seen at the end of urination. Other physical symptoms of bladder infection include; chills and fevers, which could be precipitated by bacteria finding their way into the blood stream.
However, to protect our bladder from bacterial infection and other diseases, there are preventive measures or “do-it-yourself” strategies that we can rembark upon to keep bladder disease at distance. Ctterbal agents, according to recent study done by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, could be used to treat inflammatory bladder diseases, according to a preliminary study carned out by the researchers when they looked at the ability of green tea to protect bladder cells from inflammation.
The result of the study on green tea presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) in Anaheim, California, USA, found that some components of green tea protected bladders cells from damage in culture. Green tea have many health benefits and it is rich in powerful antioxidants that make a possible natural remedy for many medical conditions. It contain a powerful compound Catechins, a plant metabolites that provide it with many anti-oxidative properties.
According to a professor of urology, Michael. B. Chancellor, at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, “we discovered that catechins found in green tea protected both normal and cancerous bladder cells from inflammation when we exposed the cells to hydrogen peroxide. Although further studies are needed, these results indicate herbal supplement from green tea could be an alternative treatment option for various bladder conditions /infections that are caused by injury or inflammation.”
The researchers exposed normal and cancerous bladder cells to two major catechin components of green tea epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG), for 23 hours. The result outcome showed both significantly protected cell lines from exposure to hydrogen peroxide, which damages or kills cells. The concentrations of EGCG and ECG used in the study were also at level that may be achieved through dietary intake. Commenting about medicinal effects of green tea, a natural medicine practitioner, Dr. Nurudeen Animasaun said this story is not new to some of them who know the efficacy of certain compounds in green tea which not only fight bladder infections, but also protect, renew and give vigour to body organs including kidney.
“There are certain compounds in green tea which has the ability of renewing liver and kidney cells. It could also be used in the prevention of some sexually transmitted infections , so I encourage people to be drinking this type of tea regularly. Green tea also protect against malaria and fever and most importantly, it is good for the anybody above the age of 40,” he stated.