PHatea®

In 2010, doctors conducted a second study using encapsulated PHatea® extract taken over 120 days to again study the effects of PHatea® hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia. Preliminary results at 60 days have shown a reduction of HemoglobinA1C and lowering of LDL-cholesterol small particle number in most of the patients. Further data at 120 days will be available soon.

Emerging evidence supports health-promoting properties of post-fermented Chinese Brick Tea. Fu Zhuan Tea, fermented with the fungus, Erotium cristatum, contains a unique phytochemical profile attributed to its unique method of processing. Fu Zhuan Tea has been shown to activate pancreatic enzymes and regulate blood lipid levels in laboratory models.Regulation of blood lipid levels by Fu Zhuan Tea consumption was examined in an observational pilot study of volunteers with elevated LDL cholesterol that were not taking any prescription lipid lowering medications. Significant changes in blood lipids were detected after 120 days of daily consumption. Fu Zhuan Tea fractionation led to the investigation of six compounds for regulation of transcription factors involved in lipid metabolism,including Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), Liver X-activated Receptor (LXR) and two isoforms of the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARy and PPARd). Reporter gene assays with liver cells revealed dose dependent differences in regulation of transcription factor activation. These data reveal potential therapeutic efficacy and candidate molecular targets for Fu Zhuan Tea, and provide rationale for chemical characterization of bioactive fractions and investigation of therapeutic efficacy in cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Fu Zhuan Teas, or PHatea® as it's known in the US, are widely consumed in China and have been for hundreds of years. Semi-nomadic herdsmen rely on fermented tea to aid in the digestion of their high fat diet. Though traditionally consuming an unbalanced diet of animal protein and grain in an area where, until recently, green vegetables were not grown, and so rarely consumed, herdsmen do not suffer from hyperlipidemia and diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes that would normally be associated such a diet. A diet not unlike the modern American diet, with its high fat, low vegetable, low nutrient content.

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