Clinical Trial Shows Cardiovascular Benefits of Rooibos, Popular Antioxidant Herbal Tea from So...(od and urine samples taken after this pe...),Health

As a quality control for the rooibos, a large quantity of rooibos of the same batch was obtained from Rooibos Ltd., the major rooibos producer and supplier in Clanwilliam, South Africa. To ensure consistent quality the researchers took random samples of the rooibos from this one large batch and analyzed them for key chemical compounds (e.g. flavonols) and antioxidant capacity.

The clinical trial design and some of its initial results were announced in a presentation by Dr. Marnewick at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada in May. The trial paper will be submitted to a medical journal for publication after all the statistical data has been fully analyzed, probably by the end of this year.

"Despite its long history of traditional use in South Africa and growing popularity around the world as a tasty and healthful beverage, this is the first time that rooibos has been subjected to a tightly controlled human clinical trial to determine its potential benefit in reducing cardiovascular disease factors," said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council, the leading nonprofit organization dealing with herbs, medicinal teas, and related plant-based ingredients.

"With cardiovascular disease being the biggest killer of people in North America and elsewhere in the world, this study's preliminary positive results may help increase the relevance of rooibos as a beneficial beverage for consumers and healthcare providers seeking safe, low-cost ways to reduce cardiovascular disease risk," he added.

Members of the tea industry welcomed the preliminary research findings. "We are extremely excited about the preliminary results of this clinical trial," says Hugh Lamond from Herbal Teas International of Anaheim, California, the largest distributor of rooibos
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