Better Circulation

Flavonoids and green tea improve circulatory health

Flavonoids reduced stroke

Most stroke is ischemic, meaning a blood clot blocks a vessel to the brain. Fatty deposits lining vessel walls are the main cause. In this study, doctors followed 55,169 adults, aged 52 to 60, with no history of ischemic stroke, and an average of 496 mg of flavonoids per day in the diet.

During 21 years of follow-up, those who got the most flavonoids, flavonols, and flavanol oligo-polymers were 10 to 18 percent less likely to have had an ischemic stroke.

Doctors adjusted for factors including demographics and lifestyle, and found that a total flavonoid intake of about 500 mg per day significantly decreased chances for ischemic stroke.

Reference: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 2021, Vol. 114, No. 1, 348-57

Green tea for diabetic neuropathy

Long-term high blood sugar in diabetes damages nerves throughout the body, often affecting feet and legs first, followed by hands and arms. In this study, 194 people with the condition, known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy, took a placebo or a daily green tea extract.

At four weeks, pain scores, nerve function, and the ability to feel sensations in the limbs were similar in both groups. Beginning at week eight, those taking green tea saw improved pain scores, nerve function, and ability to feel sensations in the peripheries compared to placebo. These improvements in pain, nerve, and sensations in the limbs continued to increase through the end of the 16-week study.

Reference: Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice; 2021, Vol. 43, 101317