High blood pressure can be reduced by tea active substances

A study (published Archives of Internal Medicine 2012) of 95 patients from Western Australia suggested that drinking three cups a day of black tea can reduce blood pressure by 2-3 mmHg in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Black tea is a good source of flavonoids. Flavonoids protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, and this can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke, hypertension and heart attack.

Oral administration of tea polyphenols also yielded a decrease of blood pressure in patients. The reported active substances include tea extracts, polyphenols and tea tannin. Tea tannins (2 to 4 mg orally) could reduce the systolic blood pressure in rats. Investigation proved that tea components, especially TFDG and EGCG showed beneficial effect.

In addition, theanine, an amino acid found in tea produces a calming effect on the brain. It induces a feeling of relaxation and was found to be effective lowers the blood pressure of spontaneous hypertensive rates.

Tea polyphenols and caffeine may also ameliorate the development of hypertension by improving the renal circulatory state as a result of its direct action on the kidney, including the activation of the kinin-kallikrein-prostaglandin system in the kidney.
High blood pressure can be reduced by tea active substances