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