Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic skin disorder caused
by allergens in certain foods or in the environment. Mild
cases of this condition generally improve with standard treatment.
However, standard
treatments fail many patients with more stubborn skin legions.
Prior studies in animal models have demonstrated that tea
(green, black or oolong) can suppress certain allergens and
help in the treatment of allergic skin reactions.
Several studies have tested the effectiveness of oolong tea
in the treatment of such stubborn legions. In one of the most
recent investigations, published in the Archives of Dermatology,
118 patients suffering from various forms of AD were asked
to maintain their standard dermatological treatment, but were
also instructed to drink oolong tea daily after each of three
regular meals.
After one month of treatment, 63% of the patients showed
moderate improvement of their condition. The most beneficial
effect was noticed after the initial week of treatment. However,
a “good” response to treatment was still observed in more
than 50% of the patients after a six-month period. These findings
led the study authors to conclude that treatment of allergic
skin conditions may be aided by the anti-allergic properties
of the compounds in teas.
Reference: Uehara M, Sugiura H, Sakurai
K. A trial of oolong tea in the management of recalcitrant
atopic dermatitis. Archives of Dermatology 2001: Vol.137,
pp 42-43.
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