Click here to access the Medical Update Archives . Click here to access the Complete Scientific Abstracts Online. An increased risk of breast cancer was observed among postmenopausal women, having low levels of vitamin B-12. This is the first observation to suggest that B-12 status may influence breast cancer growth and therefore may be a risk factor for breast cancer prevention that can be modified to achieve positive results. A study indicates a protective effect of tea drinking against ischemic heart disease.
Tea is the major dietary source for flavonoids in Western populations.
There was a significant, association of low tea intake with severe aortic atherosclerosis and vice versa. The associations were stronger in women than in men. Without NAC, drinking alcohol increased the concentration of the lipid peroxidation products, decreased the liver glutathione activities, and reduced the glutathione concentration and total antioxidant status. Alcohol is oxidized to formaldehyde and then to formate. These results suggest that NAC exerts its protective effect by acting as a precursor for glutathione, the body's natural antioxidant, and as a free radical scavenger.