Green tea may add to protection against UV rays

Fitness Update: (Contributed by Rajat Bhatnagar, International Sports & Fitness Distribution, LLC)

Just in time to battle the scorching summer sun, new research shows that drinking or supplementing with green tea may help protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Green tea is rich in antioxidants that scavenge harmful free radicals in the body and, as new research reports, on the skin. Researchers from the University of Witten-Herdecke inGermanyfound that “consumption of dietary flavonoids from tea may confer photoprotection and improve skin quality.”

The researchers randomly assigned 60 female volunteers between a green tea and a placebo group. Each woman drank one liter of either green tea or a control beverage designed with a tart flavoring daily for 12 weeks. The researchers measured serum flavonoid content and performed skin assessments at baseline, week 6, and again after 12 weeks. After 12 weeks of tea consumption, the researchers found that in addition to decreases in the volume, roughness and scaling of skin, women’s skin density and skin hydration increased. Beyond aesthetics, the researchers confirmed that drinking green tea rich in antioxidant polyphenols protects against harmful UV radiation.