Tea is gaining worldwide attention for its beneficial effects on health, including reducing inflammation and helping fight cancer. It is also associated with the expression of FOXO3A, called the ‘longevity gene’ because it is more pronounced in people over the age of 100. By preventing cell damage, researchers found that green tea consumption could reduce the risk of death in some people by up to 82%.
FOXO3 is a key player in skeletal muscle protein regulation and a key regulator of protein synthesis and degradation in muscle.
It is thought to have a strong impact on aging and age-related phenotypes because it modulates stress responses and influences lifespan.
Science Direct explains:
This observation is supported by several studies investigating the association between green tea consumption and all-cause mortality in older adults.
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Overall, these large cohort studies and meta-analyses yielded mixed results.
But one thing they have in common is a significant reduction in all-cause mortality among regular green tea drinkers.
More specifically, one study published in JAMA in 2006 showed that individuals with the highest intake of green tea had an 82% reduction in cardiovascular risk.
They found that those who drank five or more cups of green tea a day had a 76% lower mortality rate than those who did not.
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A meta-analysis published by the Health Organization highlights that many studies have found an association between EGCG and lower cancer incidence.
The authors explain: […] A group of mice drinking green tea.
“Similar protection is seen in other animal models of cancer, including prostate, skin and lung.”
Elsewhere, the report says it found evidence of ECGC treatment and its target genes “inducing the expression of FOXO3A.”
This evidence indicates that FOXO3A may act as a tumor suppressor in cancer and reduce the risk of death from all causes.
Bradley Wilcox, Ph.D., principal investigator of the Kuakini Hawaii Longevity Study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, previously listed several foods that may help activate longevity genes.
Experts say these can include foods rich in marine carotenoids, such as sweet potatoes, turmeric, and seaweed and kelp.
Apart from ECGC, vegetables rich in astaxanthin, a marine photoactive compound, have also been shown to express this gene.
