Green Tea and Making Babies

While green tea has been studied for its numerous health
benefits, there's at least one area of interest that needs
more attention.
Can drinking green tea really enhance fertility?
Now that's the one-hundred-thousand dollar question! There's
a lot of conflicting opinions and research results
pertaining to that subject. We'll try to be fair and present
both sides of the issue.
Any tea made from the Camellia sinensis bush contains
caffeine. On the bright side of the teapot, green tea has
only one-sixth to one-tenth of the amount of caffeine that a
similar amount of regular coffee contains.
For those of us who are trying to watch our caffeine intake,
that's a good deal. If you need a caffeine fix though, green
tea isn't going to give you what you're looking for. Better
start looking for the nearest Starbucks.
How can drinking green tea increase fertility?
Some credit was given to the possibility that the polyphenols and hypoxanthine, compounds found in tea, resulted in a greater number of viable embryos, and increased maturation and fertilizability of oocytes. Because this wasn't the case for the other tested caffeinated beverages, caffeine wasn't deemed the causing agent. A study done by the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland, California revealed that the chances of conceiving doubled for woman who daily drank more than one- half cup of green tea containing caffeine (American Journal of Public Health, 1998).
Another conclusion of this study was that the healthy lifestyle of many green tea drinkers, such as regular exercise and decreased smoking and fat intake, might also play a role in the enhanced fertility levels of the test subjects.
How can drinking green tea decrease fertility?
Tannic acids, an element found in green tea, have been shown
to cause fertility problems and greater chances at
miscarrying.
While not an "initial" fertility situation, rumor has it
that EGCG, the main disease-fighting antioxidant known as
catechins in green tea that have been found to impede the
growth of tumors, might also effect the blood vessel growth
of a developing embryo.
Another post-fertility issue related to an excessive intake
of green tea involves the increased rate of birth defects.
Past studies have concluded that coffee consumption
increases the risk of miscarriages and that caffeine intake
enhances the negative effects of alcohol intake on
fertility. While not directly related to green tea, caffeine
is the potential cause of such problems.
Should I or shouldn't I drink green tea for fertility
issues?
Cheers... Whatever you decide, we wish you the best of luck in your quest for that new addition to your family. Then and only then can you make a truly educated and well-informed decision about a very delicate issue. Do your homework.

Check with your doctor first. The best advice that we can give you is something you've heard before.
REQUIREMENTS FOR REPRINT: You have permission to publish this article free of charge in your e-zine, newsletter, ebook, print publication or on your website ONLY if it remains unchanged and
you include the copyright and author information (Resource Box) at the end. You may not use this article in any unsolicited commercial email (spam)
Copyright: 2005 Vaughn Balchunas
*****************************************************************************
Vaughn Balchunas is a writer and publisher of health, and self-growth articles.
For more information about tea and health go to:

http://www.tea-guide.com

*****************************************************************************