Tea is one of the oldest and most popular drinks in the world. Some consume it for taste or social experience, while others drink it because they have been told that a specific variety of tea will help them approach a certain condition. Several studies have already shown the health benefits, including the fact that tea can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. But a team of researchers has now proven how a component of tea works at the cellular level to reduce blood pressure. The discovery could impact therapies for hypertension in the future, a health problem that affects hundreds of millions of people around the world.
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Scientists from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) collaborated with researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark and published their findings in Cell physiology and biochemistry. According to new research, two antioxidants in tea called catechins can open a protein channel in the membranes of smooth muscle cells that cover blood vessels. The duct allows positively charged potassium ions to leave the cells, leading to dilation of blood vessels. As a result, blood pressure is reduced.
Catechins are responsible for activating a potassium ion channel called KCNQ5. These channels that allow the passage of ions are present in the nerves and muscles. This type of electrical exchange allows information to pass between the brain and the rest of the body and has a direct impact on the process of muscle contraction-relaxation.
The researchers used computer modeling and mutated versions of the channel protein to prove that catechins bind to a section that detects changes in tension. Ionic channels are closed at voltage and open or close based on electrical charges.
“This binding allows the canal to open much easier and earlier in the process of cellular excitation,” said Prof. Geoffrey Abbott of the UCI School of Medicine. Medical news today. Muscle cells would become less excitable and less likely to contract. This phenomenon allows the blood vessels to dilate and lower blood pressure.
The authors used rats to test the theory. They measured changes in blood pressure in the walls of the arteries and confirmed that catechins activate the KCNQ5 channel and reduce blood pressure.
This new study also explains that adding milk to tea does not reduce the effect of these antioxidants on blood pressure. The stomach will separate the chemical components of the drink, and the catechins will be released to exert their effect on the body. The researchers found that milk tea may not activate KCNQ5 channels in laboratory tests. But this is not the same as a person drinking milk tea in it.
The researchers also approached iced tea. Activation of KCNQ5 is increased at 35 ° C (95 ° F). But this temperature is reached after the tea is ingested, no matter how it is consumed. The human body works at about 37 ° C (98.6 ° F), so antioxidants would work at the optimum temperature.
Drinking tea more often could also help control your blood pressure. However, more research is needed to establish new treatment protocols around tea consumption. People who suffer from hypertension use a combination of medications to control their blood pressure.
The benefits of catechin molecules may not be limited to blood pressure. They can also cross the blood-brain barrier and directly affect a condition called epileptic encephalopathy. Antioxidants will bind to the same KCNQ5 channel. People with this disorder may develop seizures because the channel protein does not respond effectively to changes in blood pressure.
The full study is available at this link.
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Chris Smith began writing about gadgets as a hobby, and before he knew it, he was sharing his views on technical stuff with readers around the world. Whenever he doesn’t write about gadgets, he can’t stay away from them, even though he tries desperately. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.