Green Tea Polyphenols Support Skin Health

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Polyphenols found in green tea (Camellia sinensis), particularly epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), may help protect the skin from UV carcinogenesis (J Nutr Biochem. 2007;18(5):287-96). In a review article from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, researchers examined recent studies that have defined the photoprotective activity of green tea polyphenols (GTPs). Oral or topical administration of GTPs or EGCG may prevent UV-induced skin tumor development by inducing immunoregulatory cytokine interleukin (IL) 12; aiding IL-12 dependent DNA repair; inhibiting UVinduced immunosuppression; inhibiting angiogenic factors; and stimulating cytotoxic T cells in a tumor microenvironment.