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Over the years, researchers have stipulated that green or black tea consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is very important because people from all walks of life inevitably suffer from some form of this potentially deadly disease.

According to the American Heart Association, in 2003, there were 71,300,000 individuals that have this disease and it claimed 910, 614 lives that year alone. This disease does not just affect people in the United States. It also affects international residents. In the U.K alone, cardiovascular disease was responsible for over 23,000 deaths in 2004. In other words, every one (regardless of where they live) is at risk for this potentially deadly disease.

With this in mind, researchers have been working diligently to combat this illness. Numerous epidemiologic studies have indicated that consumption of green or black tea reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, many are left wondering 'How?'.

Scientists have made many assumptions about how these eas positively affects cardiovascular disease and research is still pending. One hypothesis states that drinking green or black tea affects lipoproteins. However, researchers have found that drinking green or black tea does not increase the resistance of low-density lipoprotein to oxidation in humans or the serum lipid concentrations in humans either.

Researchers determined this during a four week long parallel study comprising of 45 volunteers. The study involved the subjects drinking 900 ml (6 cups) of mineral water, black tea, or green tea daily. Blood samples were dutifully collected from the fasting subjects, both before and after the study. An in vitro experiment was carried out to record the effect of adding tea extract to plasma and the consequence on the resistance of isolated LDL to oxidation.

Data was carefully evaluated utilizing various research methodologies and researchers concluded that the said 900 ml (6 cups) of the beverage did not have any substantial effect on either serum lipid concentrations or resistance of LDL to oxidation. However, It was determined that the large intake of green tea did increase the total antioxidant activity of the plasma slightly.

Nevertheless, the arresting effect of tea flavonoids on cardiovascular disease is an open proposition and researchers are still evaluating other probable mechanisms. For instance, many researchers stipulate that green or black tea may have a positive effect on the panacea and on cardiovascular disease.

Before we discuss this hypothesis further, let's take a moment to discuss how cardiovascular disease is triggered. In some cases, cardiovascular disease runs in families, and in other cases it doesn't. Many of its victims experience such triggers like high cholesterol, raised blood pressure, and obesity. In addition, stress is thought to contribute to this disease.

As such, physicians currently prescribe a preventive diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and Omega 3 fatty acids in order to keep this disease at bay. In addition, physicians also recommend that patients engage in regular exercise, reduce stress and anxiety levels, and quit smoking to help prevent and keep CVD in check. In addition, drinking black or green tea is also an important addition on the list. However, it is still unclear the extent to which tea helps control CVD, but researchers are not giving up.

Animal and in vitro studies have suggested numerous and probable cardiovascular protective mechanisms of tea which include prohibition of oxidized LDL cholesterol, the disintegration of the inflammatory process in atherosclerosis, reducing thrombosis, promotion of normal endothelial function, reduction of total plasma, and LDL cholesterol and adhesion molecules blocking mechanisms.

In addition, the effect of tea consumption on platelet aggression shows mixed results. A study by Duffy, et al. noted an improved endothelial function post consumption of black tea. In addition, researchers believe that green or black tea also positively effect endothelial function and have found that polyphenolic compounds in tea other than catechins are responsible for improved endothelial function in humans.

Blood pressure is another area where the cardio-protective properties of tea are believed to have a positive influence. However, studies have shown that a positive effect is seen among subjects who had been drinking tea for at least a year, if not more. Short-term tea drinking has not made much of a difference.