Research has found that all types of tea have varying degrees of preventive and therapeutic effects on chemical carcinogenesis or metastatic tumors in experimental animals. After comparing the efficacy of various teas, scientists have concluded that Pu-erh tea has a relatively strong effect in killing and reducing cancer cells.

After long-term consumption of Pu-erh tea by cancer patients, cancer cells undergo polygonal contraction becoming round, pseudopodia reduce in number, lose their ability to adhere and migrate, and may even detach and float away; the remaining cells also become smaller, rounder, and more condensed, with nuclear pyknosis, chromatin condensation or disappearance, vacuoles appearing in the nucleus and cytoplasm, nucleolar pyknosis or fragmentation and disappearance, chromosomal spasmodic contraction or mutual condensation, reduction in ribosomes, and expansion of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum; RNA synthesis decreases, and nuclear division stops. These changes prove that under the pharmacological action of Pu-erh tea, cancer cells tend to degenerate and die.

So, why does Pu-erh tea have anti-cancer and cancer-preventive effects?

The tea polyphenols in Pu-erh tea and their oxidation, degradation, and complexation products are all important anti-cancer and cancer-preventive components. Pu-erh tea is also rich in various anti-cancer vitamins, such as β-carotene, vitamins B1, B2, C, E, etc. Electron detection methods have observed thirty chemical elements in Pu-erh tea, most of which are important trace elements for combating cancer. Its anti-cancer and cancer-preventive mechanisms are mainly manifested in the following aspects:

1. Inhibit the formation of ultimate carcinogens.

The tea polyphenols contained in Pu-erh tea can effectively inhibit and block nitrosation reactions, reduce the content of nitrosamines in the body, and inhibit the generation of carcinogens.

2. Adjust the metabolic process of procarcinogens.

By enhancing the activity of detoxification enzymes, they bind with many procarcinogens or mutagens, inactivating them or catalyzing their detoxification.

3. Reduce cancer inducibility

They directly interact with the electrophilic ultimate carcinogenic metabolites, reducing the initiation or promotion of proto-oncogenes, thereby lowering cancer inducibility.

4. Inhibit the covalent binding of carcinogens to DNA.

Macromolecules such as DNA and proteins in human (and other organisms') cells contain numerous electron-rich genes that are highly susceptible to covalent binding with chemical carcinogens, leading to aberrations in DNA replication and transcription, causing normal cells to mutate and become cancerous. The tea polyphenols and catechins in Pu-erh tea can reduce the amount of covalently bound DNA by 30% to 60%.

5. Directly kill cancerous cells.

Tea extracts can produce a significant cytotoxic effect at the early stage of cancer cell differentiation, blocking the clonal growth of cancer cells.

6. Apoptosis of cancer cells.

Apoptosis is a gene-regulated active suicide process of cells. The caffeine contained in Pu-erh tea can enhance the cytotoxicity of ionizing radiation and chemotherapeutic drugs to induce apoptosis, or even directly induce apoptosis in cancer cells.

Researchers have found that drinking a cup of Pu-erh tea after dinner can help expel large amounts of carcinogens accumulated in the human body. Survey results show that strong carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons accumulated in the body from smoking or eating barbecued foods significantly decrease after drinking Pu-erh tea, especially aged Pu-erh tea. Experts suggest: In today's world where people are keen on eating fried, grilled, and fast foods, drinking a cup of Pu-erh tea after dinner is a recommended healthy lifestyle.

Secondly, the theanine in Pu-erh tea can help inhibit rising blood pressure, while alkaloids and flavonoid substances relax the blood vessel walls, increase the effective diameter of blood vessels, and thus lower blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels.

We know that diabetes is one of the modern health killers for middle-aged and elderly people, and its incidence is increasing year by year. To date, diabetes remains an incurable disease, primarily controlled through medication and dietary adjustments. Research has proven that tea polysaccharides in tea have a significant effect on lowering blood sugar, similar to insulin. Pu-erh tea contains relatively high amounts of tea polysaccharides, making it an ideal beverage for preventing and treating diabetes. There is also a folk custom of using dark tea to treat mild diabetes, with coarser tea leaves being more effective.

The above are some of the pharmacological effects of Pu-erh tea. We hope this introduction allows tea enthusiasts to gain a deeper understanding of Pu-erh tea. Of course, beyond these, Pu-erh tea also possesses common health benefits of tea such as lowering blood lipids, preventing radiation, reducing inflammation, beautifying, and weight loss.

 Related link: Efficacy and Effects of Golden Flower Pu-erh