High tea consumption diminishes salivary 17beta-estradiol concetration in Polish women

Artykuł recenzowany / peer-reviewed articleWe hypothesized that among reproductive-age women consuming large quantities of tea, the production of estradiol would be suppressed. It has been shown that catechins and theaflavines, the major constituents of tea, inhibit aromatase, an enzyme which catalyses the conversion of androgens to estrogens. Our study included Polish women living in urban (N=61) and rural (N=48) areas. Women collected daily saliva samples for one complete menstrual cycle and filled out dietary questionnaires. Saliva samples were analyzed by radioimmunoassay for concentration of 17-β estradiol (E2). Women with high (above the median) average daily consumption of black tea had reduced levels of salivary E2, in comparison with women who drank less black tea (below median). This effect was observed within the whole study group, as well as separately within urban (p = 0.0006) and rural (p = 0.013) groups. High intake of the sum of subclasses of tea catechins and epigallocatechin gallate, assessed using the USDA database [http://www.nal.usda.gov], was also associated with lower concentrations of E2 within all women (p = 0.01 and p = 0.0001, respectively) and within the urban group (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.004, respectively). Similar relationships were observed between the sum of subclasses of theaflavines and thearubigines and E2 levels for the whole group (p = 0.002) and for urban women (p = 0.02). Women with high consumption of tea had lower levels of E2 concentration throughout the entire menstrual cycle. These results may have implications for reducing hormone-related cancer risk by a relatively easy dietary intervention.the State Committee for Scientific Research, Warsaw, Poland, project No. 3 P05E 016 25 and 6 P05D 112 20, the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study, Harvard University and the Norwegian Cancer Society

Euro 2012 European Football Championship Finals: planning for a health legacy.

The revised international health regulations offer a framework that can be used by host countries to organise public health activities for mass gatherings. From June 8, to July 1, 2012, Poland and Ukraine jointly hosted the Union of European Football Associations European Football Championship Finals (Euro 2012). More than 8 million people from around the world congregated to watch the games. Host countries and international public health agencies planned extensively to assess and build capacity in the host countries and to develop effective strategies for dissemination of public health messages. The effectiveness of public health services was maximised through rapid sharing of information between parties, early use of networks of experienced individuals, and the momentum of existing national health programmes. Organisers of future mass gatherings for sporting events should share best practice and their experiences through the WHO International Observer Program. Research about behaviour of large crowds is needed for crowd management and the evidence base translated into practice. A framework to measure and evaluate the legacy of Euro 2012 is needed based on the experiences and the medium-term and long-term benefits of the tournament