White Tea and Wrinkles – How White Tea Boosts Skin Collagen Levels
White Tea's Nutrients Protect Against Wrinkles By Enhancing Collagen
Next time you think to run for a mug of your favorite caffeinated beverage, you may want to grab a pot of white tea instead. A new study from Kingston University in Britain shows white tea helps reduce age-related wrinkles. The scientists assayed the beneficial properties of twenty-one various plant and herbal extracts and found that white tea, far more than the rest, had the most potent anti-oxidant properties. White tea is derived from the same plant as many other teas such as green tea, Camilli sinensis, but it is treated differently and undergoes less oxidation. For this reason, white tea contains a higher content of polyphenols, which are anti-oxidants.
A host of tests were completed, running white tea through the gamut and testing the capacity of the herb extracts to prevent the break down of the structural strength of the epidermis, specifically elastin and collagen activity. Both elastin and collagen are abundant parts of connective tissues that are responsible for the strength and elasticity of skin, and thus it's propensity to develop those scary things called wrinkles. Aside from the skin, elastin is also an important structural part of the ligaments, arteries, and lungs. The reduced number of these proteins leads in to wrinkles notoriously associated with age. These proteins that degrade collagen and elastin are called elastases and collagenases, respectively. Elastases and collagenases are widely known to be associated with diseases which cause inflammation, such as arthritis.
The results were astonishing. This antioxidant-rich tea greatly reduced the activity of elastase by 87%, and collagenase by 89%. This wonderful tea also had high anti-oxidant activity and was able to reduce the formation of free radicals by 88%. The super anti-collagenase and anti-elastase activity is attributed to the high-concentration of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) in white tea. EGCG is a strong anti-oxidant and has many therapeutic properties, as well as anti-cancer properties.
White Tea's Antioxidants Shields Skin From DNA Damage Caused By Ultraviolet Radiation
In a related scientific publication, scientists from Case Medical Center in Ohio found that white tea shields from the Ultra Violet damaging effects of the sun as well. White tea was found to guard Langerhans cells from cell death (apoptosis). Langerhans cells are immune cells that are located in the outer layer of the skin and are the very first to respond to harmful substances, such as, cancerous polypeptides and bacteria. However, because of their proximity to the surface they are extremely sensitive to the destructive effects of Ultra Violet radiation.
Tea extract was topically distributed to an area on the patient's epidermis and thereafter placed under the equivalent of artificial sunlight. The tea was able to preserve the Langerhans cells, which surprisingly still even retained their immune function. It also protected from the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage that always occurs with ultraviolet radiation. Again, the high antioxidant activity in this tea is thought to be a factor in this protection against UV associated damage.
It is important to understand that the same underlying process of oxidative stress in skin cells by ultraviolet radiation also exacerbates skin cancer and wrinkles related to aging. Younger skin is able to resist oxidative stress better than an older person's epidermis and the two of these studies provide demonstrable evidence that antioxidant-rich tea is able to build the skin's resistance against factors that encourage the skin to become aged.
In addition to reducing the amount of wrinkles on your skin, it can also increase weight loss. Studies have shown that it inhibits adipocytes (fat cells) from taking up fat. It also increases lipolysis, or the burning of fat in adipocytes. This means that it can prevent the uptake of new fat into your cells and it can speed up fat metabolism so that is is burned faster.
White Tea Lotion – New Breakthroughs For Skin Protection
The latest research is showing that white tea lotion can have some very important health benefits for your skin! Not only is drinking tea beneficial to your health but topical applications are showing strong promise in protecting your skin.
White tea is made from young leaves and growth buds of the Camellia sinensis plant. The little buds are covered with silver hairs that give the leaves a white appearance. The tea is steamed and dried almost immediately after harvesting. That may be the reason for this tea having higher than normal health benefits.
A study performed at Kingston University in London tested white tea and it's effects of the structural proteins of the skin, specifically elastin and collagen. Elastin helps body tissue to repair if it is damaged and stops the skin from sagging. Collagen is found in connective tissues and is important for strength and elasticity of the skin.
The researchers were amazed at how well this tea had performed in testing. The results showed that white tea prevented the actions of the enzymes which lead to wrinkles due to a breakdown in elastin & collagen.
In yet another study at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University revealed that the DNA damage that can happen with sun exposure was limited in the skin cells protected by white tea extract. This is great news to help in the prevention of skin cancer and skin damage.
White tea has high levels of antioxidants and can be an important ingredient to look for in body lotions and face care products. Tea can be combined with other skin nourishing ingredients for optimal skin health. Look for products that contain shea butter, avocado oil, cocoa butter and almond oil to soften and feed your skin healthy nutrients.
Aging Skin Care
Since there are more elderly people living in the world than never before this Aging Skin Care is a topic of interest to many people. Wrinkles on the skin are the visible sign of age. This topic is important to people who want to protect from or slowdown the rate of wrinkle formation. When proteins that are responsible for elasticity of the skin get damaged wrinkles get formed. This protein is known as elastin .
Naturally proteins are subject to damage from UV radiation and free radicals and elastin being one of the proteins can't be an exceptional. A free radical is a word to refer to oxygen molecule that has been split and therefore highly active destroying DNA of cells they come into contact with. This DNA damage can cause skin cancer while damage to the proteins cause the formation of wrinkles. To absorb these free radicals before they reach the skin, antioxidants can be applied on the skin in form of cream. Therefore aging skin care that use antioxidants is suitable.
Taking vitamins C and E, and a compound Alpha Hydroxyl Acid (AHA) will help in slowing down the commencement of wrinkles. Fruit, berries and dark vegetables are rich in antioxidants and it is advisable to take a lot of them as part of aging skin care.
Quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to sun will help to take care of your skin. The sun produces UV radiation that split the oxygen on your skin to radicals while smoke soaks your body in a set of free radicals. Before you stay on the sun make sure you apply sunscreen to protect your skin from the UV radiation. These will help maintain your skin young. For those who have wrinkles use of moisturizers will make them better though the wrinkles will not be eliminated completely.