GreenTea

Green Tea and Fighting Fat

2007-06-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

Need another healthy reason to drink green tea? Aside from fighting heart disease, cancer, and other diseases, a new study shows that drinking green tea may also fight fat.

The study showed that people who drank a bottle of tea fortified with green tea extract every day for three months lost more body fat than those who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea.

Researchers say the results indicate that substances found in green tea known as catechins may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and decreasing body fat.

The findings appear in the January issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Green Tea: Fat Fighter?

Black tea, oolong tea, and green tea come from the same Camellia sinensis plant. But unlike the other two varieties, green tea leaves are not fermented before steaming and drying.

Most teas contain large amounts of polyphenols, which are plant-based substances that have been shown to have antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral properties.

However, green tea is particularly rich in a type of polyphenols called catechins. These substances have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, but recent research in animals show that catechins may also affect body fat accumulation and cholesterol levels.

In this study, researchers looked at the effects of catechins on body fat reduction and weight loss in a group of 35 Japanese men. The men had similar weights based on their BMI (body mass index, an indicator of body fat) and waist sizes.

The men were divided into two groups. For three months, the first group drank a bottle of oolong tea fortified with green tea extract containing 690 milligrams of catechins, and the other group drank a bottle of oolong tea with 22 milligrams of catechins.

During this time, the men ate identical breakfasts and dinners and were instructed to control their calorie and fat intake at all times so that overall total diets were similar.

After three months, the study showed that the men who drank the green tea extract lost more weight (5.3 pounds vs. 2.9 pounds) and experienced a significantly greater decrease in BMI, waist size, and total body fat.

In addition, LDL "bad" cholesterol went down in the men who drank the green tea extract.

The catechin content varies by amount of green tea used and steeping time. But general recommendations, based on previous studies on the benefits of green tea, are at least 4 cups a day. Green tea extract supplements are also available.

Researchers say the results indicate that catechins in green tea not only help burn calories and lower LDL cholesterol but may also be able to mildly reduce body fat.

"These results suggest that catechins contribute to the prevention of and improvement in various lifestyle-related diseases, particularly obesity," write researcher Tomonori Nagao of Health Care Products Research Laboratories in Tokyo, and colleagues.

Fact Sheet: Green Tea and Cancer

2007-06-26T10:48:00.001-07:00

Tea drinking is an ancient tradition dating back 5,000 years in China and India. Long regarded in those cultures as an aid to good health, researchers now are studying tea for possible use in the prevention and treatment of a variety of cancers. Investigators are especially interested in the antioxidants-called catechins-found in tea. Despite promising early research in the laboratory, however, studies involving humans so far have been inconclusive.

1. What are antioxidants?

The human body constantly produces unstable molecules called oxidants, also commonly referred to as free radicals. To become stable, oxidants steal electrons from other molecules and, in the process, damage cell proteins and genetic material. This damage may leave the cell vulnerable to cancer. Antioxidants are substances that allow the human body to scavenge and seize oxidants. Like other antioxidants, the catechins found in tea selectively inhibit specific enzyme activities that lead to cancer. They may also target and repair DNA aberrations caused by oxidants (1).

2. What is the level of antioxidants found in tea?

All varieties of tea come from the leaves of a single evergreen plant, Camellia sinensis. All tea leaves are picked, rolled, dried, and heated. With the additional process of allowing the leaves to ferment and oxidize, black tea is produced. Possibly because it is less processed, green tea contains higher levels of antioxidants than black tea.

Although tea is consumed in a variety of ways and varies in its chemical makeup, one study showed steeping either green or black tea for about five minutes released over 80 percent of its catechins. Instant iced tea, on the other hand, contains negligible amounts of catechins (1).

3. What are the laboratory findings?

In the laboratory, studies have shown tea catechins act as powerful inhibitors of cancer growth in several ways: They scavenge oxidants before cell injuries occur, reduce the incidence and size of chemically induced tumors, and inhibit the growth of tumor cells. In studies of liver, skin and stomach cancer, chemically induced tumors were shown to decrease in size in mice that were fed green and black tea (1, 2).

4. What are the results of human studies?

Although tea has long been identified as an antioxidant in the laboratory, study results involving humans have been contradictory. Some epidemiological studies comparing tea drinkers to non-tea drinkers support the claim that drinking tea prevents cancer; others do not. Dietary, environmental, and population differences may account for these inconsistencies.

Two studies in China, where green tea is a mainstay of the diet, resulted in promising findings. One study involving over 18,000 men found tea drinkers were about half as likely to develop stomach or esophageal cancer as men who drank little tea, even after adjusting for smoking and other health and diet factors (3). A second study at the Beijing Dental Hospital found consuming 3 grams of tea a day, or about 2 cups, along with the application of a tea extract reduced the size and proliferation of leukoplakia, a precancerous oral plaque (1).

However, a study in the Netherlands did not support these findings. It investigated the link between black tea consumption and the subsequent risk of stomach, colorectal, lung, and breast cancers among 58,279 men and 62,573 women ages 55 to 69. The study took into account such factors as smoking and overall diet. It found no link between tea consumption and protection against cancer (4).

5. Is NCI evaluating tea?

National Cancer Institute (NCI) researchers are also investigating the therapeutic use of green tea. One recently completed but unpublished NCI trial studied the antitumor effect of green tea among prostate cancer patients. The 42 patients drank 6 grams of green tea, or about 4 cups, daily for four months. However, only one patient experienced a short-lived improvement, and nearly 70 percent of the group experienced unpleasant side effects such as nausea and diarrhea. The study concluded drinking green tea has limited antitumor benefit for prostate cancer patients (5).

Other ongoing NCI studies are testing green tea as a preventive agent against skin cancer. For example, one is investigating the protective effects of a pill form of green tea against sun-induced skin damage while another explores the topical application of green tea in shrinking precancerous skin changes. For more information about NCI-sponsored studies on green tea, go to http://www.cancer.gov/clinical_trial

Green Tea and Good Skin

2007-06-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

Remember oat bran? It was supposed to help with digestion, prevent cancer, reverse heart disease -- you name it, oat bran did it. Until it more or less disappeared off the radar of our collective consciousness. Today, it seems that green tea is everywhere, being touted as capable of doing just about anything.

Recent scientific studies have indicated that green tea could protect against cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis, as well as aid in weight loss. And you can't walk into a cosmetics store these days without bumping into a skin care product containing green tea. Many believe the tea in skin products can help ward off skin cancer and signs of aging.

But can green tea really be good for your skin? An article published in the August issue of the Archives of Dermatology says yes -- in theory.

"There may be some benefits of green tea in the human skin products," Hasan Mukhtar, PhD, and colleagues say in the article, which summarizes all the known information about green tea's effects on the skin. Mukhtar is a professor and the director of research in the department of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Still, Mukhtar says, it's not clear whether the amounts of green tea found in the skin products now available are enough to have any benefit. In other words, don't run out and stock up on green tea masks, creams, and bubble baths just yet.

Green tea is consumed mostly in Asian countries, including India, Japan, Korea, and China; it's not quite as popular as its cousin, black tea, which is consumed by more than 75% of tea drinkers. Like black tea and oolong tea, green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant -- but unlike the other two varieties, its leaves are not fermented before steaming and drying; they remain fresh.

Mukhtar believes, as do others, that green tea's antioxidant property is key to its skin-protective qualities. "Of all the antioxidants known to mankind, the components of green tea are the most potent," says Mukhtar. "Antioxidants are those agents which can counteract the effects of oxidant radicals." Oxidant radicals -- or free radicals, as they are commonly called -- are byproducts of the body that can cause damage to cells and tissues. Antioxidants bind to the free radicals, deactivating them before they can cause harm.

Green, black, and oolong teas -- along with coffee, red grapes, kidney beans, raisins, prunes, and red wine -- contain large quantities of polyphenols. Polyphenols, which are a class of bioflavinoids, have been shown to have antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.

Most of the polyphenols in green tea are catechins. Catechins, which are antioxidants by nature, have also been shown to function as anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents. One of the major catechins in green tea has been shown to be the most effective agent against skin inflammation and cancerous changes in the skin.

In their review of the scientific literature, Mukhtar and his colleagues found evidence that the compounds in green tea protected mouse skin from cancer caused by sunlight. Additionally, his team conducted a few experimental studies on human skin, and found that the polyphenols in green tea also had anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

While acknowledging that antioxidants are important, Allan Conney, PhD, believes there may be more at work. Conney's lab is also trying to unravel the mechanism by which green tea protects against cancer, and is now looking at the effects of the caffeine. "In our studies, if we remove the caffeine from tea and feed the decaffeinated tea to mice at a moderate dose, it loses most of its effectiveness at inhibiting ... skin cancer," says Conney, director of the Laboratory for Cancer Research at Rutgers University College of Pharmacy in New Jersey.

"The important question is, what happens in people?" says Conney. "There is a need for more clinical studies in the future in order to be able to say tea has a beneficial effect in preventing ... human sunlight-induced skin cancer."

Green Tea and a Long LIfe Span?

2007-06-26T10:41:00.002-07:00

People who drink at least a pint of green tea each day have a lower risk of death, a Japanese study shows.

The lower overall death risk among green tea drinkers appears to be due to a lower risk of death from heart disease. And the benefit of green tea is especially pronounced in women, find Shinichi Kuriyama, MD, PhD, Tohoku University School of Public Policy in Sendai, Japan, and colleagues.

Green tea is a very popular drink in Japan. But some people drink more than others do. Women who drink five or more 3.4-ounce cups of green tea every day cut their risk of heart disease by 31% compared with women who drink one or fewer 3.4-ounce cups. Men who drink this much green tea cut their heart disease risk by 22%.

"Green tea may prolong your life through reducing heart disease and stroke," Kuriyama tells WebMD. "Our findings might explain the differences in mortality profile between Japan and the United States. The Japanese age-adjusted rate of mortality due to [heart disease and stroke] is about 30% lower than that of the United States."

The findings appear in the Sept. 13 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Green Tea: Might Americans Benefit?

Kuriyama's study is based on data collected since 1994 among more than 40,000 healthy Japanese people aged 40 to 79. More than 86% of the study participants remained in the study for 11 years. Participants filled out detailed questionnaires about their daily diets and health.

The study was conducted with meticulous care. But Kuriyama is quick to point out that this kind of study can't prove green tea has any beneficial effect. Proof comes only from a clinical trial in which some people get green tea and others do not. The Kuriyama study shows only that there is a link between green tea and lower death risk -- not that green tea causes lower death risk.

Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, director of the cardiovascular nutrition research program at Tufts University's Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, is underwhelmed by the Kuriyama study.

"This is association, not causation," Lichtenstein tells WebMD. "The Japanese are so different from us in terms of diet and lifestyle. The data -- at this point -- do not support the hypothesis that adding green tea to your diet will significantly reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke. But stay tuned."

Kuriyama points to a Dutch study that suggests Westerners may benefit from green tea. That's also the opinion of green tea researcher Tsung O. Cheng, MD, of George Washington University Medical Center.

"I would think that the effect of green tea is worldwide," Cheng tells WebMD. "There is no reason why it should be beneficial in the Eastern world and not in the West. I hope that Westerners will begin to drink more green tea, too. A person would drink two or more 8-ounce cups per day for maximum benefit."

More Benefits for Women?

Why do women seem to get more of a benefit from green tea than men do?

Kuriyama and colleagues note that the men in their study smoked more cigarettes than women did. And smokers, overall, got less of a benefit from green tea than nonsmokers.

But Cheng says it's related to estrogen. Green tea studies consistently show a greater effect for women than for men, he says. He suggests that green tea's active ingredients may interact with the female sex hormone estrogen to boost a heart-protective effect.

Green Tea: No Effect on Cancer

Kuriyama and colleagues found no evidence that green tea protects against cancer death.

Kuriyama says that was a surprise to him, as "abundant" evidence from animal and test-tube studies suggests that green tea ingredients fight cancer.

But he notes that the current findings are in line with other, smaller studies that find green tea has no effect on several specific kinds of cancer.

Green Tea Warnings

While it's yet to be proved that green tea really will protect you against early death, there's a lot of evidence that green tea is safe -- with two major exceptions.

Cheng warns that green tea contains vitamin K. Vitamin K affects blood clotting. People taking the blood-thinning drug Coumadin, he says, should not start drinking more green tea.

And Kuriyama warns against drinking your green tea piping hot.

"Drinking green tea at high temperature may be associated with increased risk of esophageal cancer," he says. "Therefore, I recommend that green tea should be consumed at moderate or low temperature."

What's the bottom line? For Lichtenstein, the message is to go ahead and drink green tea if you like it. But to prevent heart disease and stroke, what really works is a healthy diet and daily exercise.

Neither Kuriyama nor Cheng would disagree with that. But they both recommend green tea, too.

"I personally drink two to three cups of green tea per day," Kuriyama says. "On the basis of our study results, I would like to recommend the drinking of green tea to my friends and my family because our findings are the best evidence at present."

Cheng says green tea is much better for you than oolong tea or black tea, which lose some healthy properties during fermentation. But that's not why he drinks it.

"I drink two cups a day because I like it," Cheng says.

Green Tea and the Brain

2007-06-26T10:41:00.001-07:00

Find out what the Chinese have known for ages -- green tea is great for your brain.

If you haven't traded in your morning latte for a grande green tea, you're missing the boat to good health. It's no secret that green tea bolsters the body in many ways. But did you also know the same components of green tea also boost the brain?

Take polyphenols, for instance. These phytochemicals, which give green tea its bitter taste, are powerful antioxidants that have been associated with preventing cancer and heart attacks. Recent research has also shown they may help maintain positive mood states and protect against Parkinson's disease and other brain disorders.

A study from the University of San Francisco found that the polyphenols in green tea can boost availability of the important brain substance dopamine in the areas where it's needed. Dopamine is a signaling substance in brain circuits that are crucial to creating positive mood states.

It is involved in transmitting signals of reward and motivation and in helping muscles move smoothly. Dopamine production goes awry in the brains of Parkinson's patients, leading to the muscle rigidity and tremors associated with the disorder.

Researchers in the study measured levels of dopamine in mice before treating some of them with polyphenols. They then injured the specific neurons linked to Parkinson's disease in all of the mice and measured dopamine levels again. The mice treated with polyphenols appeared to have been protected against toxic elements that may be linked to this disease.

Other studies in animals show that the polyphenols in green tea also help the brain and body maintain a steady supply of their chief fuel, glucose. Polyphenols influence glucose metabolism in part by helping the body regulate sensitivity to the hormone insulin. Compounds in green tea enhance insulin sensitivity, keeping the brain running smoothly on steady levels of glucose.

Tannins are another important set of compounds found in green tea. They too have also been shown to have brain boosting benefits: they may prevent the brain damage that occurs after strokes and other brain injuries.

Tannins, like many other beneficial substances in plants, are natural compounds produced by tea leaves in the wild to keep animals from devouring the growing plants. It now turns out that one of the tannins found in tea leaves, gallotannin, helps the body's own DNA repair system and keeps it working in the brain despite damage that occurs during stroke.

Under normal conditions, the DNA repair system in the brain goes into overdrive in the aftermath of stroke, and instead of helping to repair brain cells it causes them to die. But researchers at the University of California at San Francisco found that if they surround injured neurons with the gallotannin found in green tea, it is highly effective in preventing neuron death.

This doesn't necessarily mean that consuming large amounts of green tea would be sufficient to repair brain damage in stroke victims. The amount of gallotannins found in green tea is negligible compared to the large amount used in the study.

But researchers hope to harness and synthesize the substance found in green tea and use it to help stroke victims. In the meantime, consuming green tea can help keep your body and brain working at its steady best.

Green Tea and Cigarette Smoking

2007-06-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

In an article, "The Irreversible Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking", Paul H. Brodish, MSPH of the American Council on Science and Health defined irreversible health effect as a permanent change in the structure and/or function of an organ system or a permanently increased risk of suffering from a disease or some other threat to health. Thus, in Brodish' article, he does not expound on the diseases and health problems which may be encountered by a cigarette smoker, but rather, he goes on to enumerate that at least five years of smoking cigarettes may have permanent effect on the lungs, the heart, the eyes, the throat, the urinary tract, the digestive organs, the bones and joints, and the skin - even if the smoker quits... WHOA!

Dear readers, I would not like to frighten you into pouncing on the nearest cigarette smoker you encounter and scaring them into quitting. Nor would I like to make enemies of cigarette smokers. This article is written under good intentions for the benefit of CIGARETTE SMOKERS. YES INDEED! This article is for you!

As such, I opened my topic by giving a realistic view for all of us on the effects of our favorite vice. Upon taking up the habit of smoking or even, the 'need' of smoking, we know about its dangers and ill effects. As we continue to go on smoking, we wholly accept the responsibility of whatever may affect our mental, physical and emotional capacities. It's indeed a risk we have to take in order to continue the joys of smoking.

Now here's the catch --- the ill effects and dangers of smoking advertised even in the very packets of cigarettes and tobacco, can be greatly reduced! Through a variety of researches, there is a new health product which may greatly reduce smoking risk. I endeavor to introduce Green Tea Plus! Due to Green Tea Plus´ super concentration, it has over 90% polyphenols and 72 trace minerals, not found in regular green tea. 1 serving of green tea plus = up to 10 cups of regular green tea.

Numerous studies have shown that Green Tea can help reduce your cancer and cardiovascular risk. Green tea can boost your immune system by fighting free radicals. AND HERE'S THE BEST NEWS --- cigarette smokers who drink up to six cups of green tea daily suffer 40 to 50 percent less damage from the toxins caused by cigarette smoke! Thus, reducing the damage caused by these toxins, the risk of cancer, emphysema, cardiovascular disease and other illnesses can be substantially decreased at the same time greatly reducing the effects of cigarette toxins on your important organ systems.

Bad Breath as an effect of cigarette smoking? No problem! Drink Green Tea to keep your breath smelling fresh. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry have discovered that polyphenols, found in green tea, inhibit the growth of an odor-causing bacterium by 30%. They say drinking a cup or two of green tea a day may help maintain fresh breath, especially if you are without a toothbrush!

Will Green Tea Help me Get Pregnant?

2007-06-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

Question: Will green tea help me get pregnant?

Answer: If you enjoy green tea, there's no harm in drinking a cup or two a day while you're trying to conceive. But don't expect it to significantly increase your odds of getting pregnant.

While compounds found in green tea offer some protective health benefits, research hasn't shown that they boost fertility. Green tea, which is made from unfermented tea leaves, contains chemicals called polyphenols. Experts believe that these chemicals act as antioxidants, substances that protect the body's cells from damage that can lead to cancer and other diseases.

One small Stanford University study of a nutritional supplement containing green tea extract, chasteberry, folic acid, and a host of other vitamins and minerals showed promising results.

In the study, published in the April 2004 issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, a third of the 15 women taking the supplement were pregnant after five months, while none of the 15 women taking a placebo had conceived. But the study is too small to say for sure that this supplement improves fertility. And the researchers don't point specifically to the green tea extract as having a significant affect.

In fact, green tea contains caffeine and tannic acid, which have both been linked to fertility problems and an increased risk of miscarriage when consumed in large amounts.

Before you toss that teapot, keep in mind that most green teas contain significantly less caffeine than black tea or coffee. Although the caffeine count varies depending on the brew, an average (6 ounce) cup of green tea contains about 20 milligrams of caffeine, compared to a cup of black tea, which has about 40 milligrams.

A cup of brewed coffee has about 120 milligrams of caffeine, while instant coffee has about 70 and some specialty coffees have up to 300 milligrams. To be safe, it's probably wise to limit your caffeine intake to less than 300 mg a day.

2007-06-26T10:34:00.001-07:00

Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection

· impaired immune function

What makes green tea so special?

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

Other Benefits

New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.

Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.

Harmful Effects?

To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.

Weight Loss and Green Tea

2007-06-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

For many years now, several benefits are attributed to drinking green tea. Today, researchers have come up with newer proofs to solidify the belief that green tea can be used as a treatment for obesity and for weight loss.

It is held that more than half of the American population have weight problems or are obese. Conditions like these are almost always linked to certain complications like heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, gall bladder disease, and hypertension. Weight loss can aid in assuaging the symptoms of some of these conditions.

Scientists have tirelessly investigated on the weight loss benefits of green tea. They have found that green tea can actually enhance the total amount of energy spent by the body. From their findings, they were able to deduce that green tea has great potential for a weight loss benefit.

Other researches were able to confirm the weight loss benefit of green tea. A recent study at the University of Geneva had the conclusion that, "Green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content per se." Where before it was generally believed that the caffeine content in green tea is the reason for its weight loss benefit, this recent study deviated from that theory. Green tea has other substances in them that are helpful in weight loss.

The same team who conducted the study on green tea's caffeine content and weight loss banded together in Switzerland to perform another experiment. They were still able to come up with the same results: that green tea has several thermogenic attributes that make it perfect to use in any weight loss program.

Sample Studies: Green Tea and Weight Loss

Green tea reduces body fat accretion caused by high-fat diet in rats through beta-adrenoceptor activation of thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue. Conducted by chief scientist J.J. Choo of the Department of Food and Nutrition, Kunsan National University, this study aimed to find out if green tea can suppress body fat and to find out whether this suppression is connected with thermogenesis spurred by the body's beta-adrenoceptor being activated.

To investigate the weight loss benefit of green tea on rats, the scientists placed their subjects on a high-fat diet and provided them with green tea extract. It was discovered that even though the rats were on a high-fat diet, the green tea extract counterbalanced fat gain without affecting the amount of energy they took in. Green tea was said to have shown some weight loss benefits in the fact that it can prevent fat from being stored, can increase protein levels, and promote thermogenesis by triggering beta-adrenoceptor to action.

Recent findings of green tea extract AR25 (Exolise) and its activity for the treatment of obesity. This study is a collaborative work between Doctors P. Chantre and D. Lairon of the Laboratoires Arkopharma in Carros, France. Published in the 2002 issue of Phytomedicine, this study aimed to find out if green tea extract has weight loss benefits and can be a potential cure for obesity.

In their study, they used an 80% ethanolic concentrate in green tea extract with standardized 25% catechins. They tested the green tea extract and were able to find that it could directly inhibit gastric and pancreatic lipases. These enzymes are the primary cause of fat storage and by delaying their actions; green tea extract therefore exhibits a weight loss benefit that can help solve obesity problems.

It was also discovered in this study that green tea can stimulate thermogenesis. Given to moderately obese patients, the green tea extract was said to have caused a decrease in weight by 4.6% and a reduction of waist circumference by 4.48% after only three months. The findings of the study clearly implicate the weight loss benefits of green tea.