Further Development 20.9: VEGF and Your Green Tea Diet

VEGF needs to be regulated very carefully in adults, and studies indicate that it can be affected by diet. The consumption of green tea has been associated with lower incidences of human cancer and the inhibition of tumor cell growth in laboratory animals. Cao and Cao (1999) have shown that green tea and one of its components, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), prevent angiogenesis by inhibiting VEGF. Moreover, in mice given green tea instead of water (at levels similar to humans drinking 2–3 cups of green tea per day), the ability of VEGF to stimulate new blood vessel formation was reduced by more than 50%.