Study suggests extracts from green tea may help the body shed abdominal fat
Posted on 12 February 2009
Back in March one of my blog posts focused on the effects of green tea constituents known as catechins had on the metabolism of fat in the body. A recent study has found that green tea catechins stimulated fat-burning in the body, something which is an obvious boon to individuals seeking to attain or maintain a healthy weight. This study came on the back of other evidence which suggests that catechins can indeed promote fat loss in the human body [1].
Further evidence for the weight loss promoting effects of catechins has come in the form of another study published recently in the Journal of Nutrition [2]. In this study, 107 individuals were given a daily beverage containing 625 mg of catechins or a drink containing no catechins for a period of 12 weeks. 625 mg of catechins is amount to be found in the equivalent of about 5 cups of green tea. Both drinks also contained identical amounts (39 mg) of caffeine.
Over the 12-week study period, individuals were advised to partake in three hours or more of moderate intensity activity each week. 3 or more exercise sessions were supervised.
At the beginning and end of the study, participants underwent a variety of measurements including body composition and the
Published February 12, 2009 . Filed under: Exercise and Activity, Healthy Eating, Herbal Medicine, Weight Loss
Thanks for another good nugget Doc. It’s always good to have more evidence supporting common practice.
Cheers,
Adam
February 12, 2009 @ 8:52 pm
The study participants were given 625mg of catechins as one daily dose. Is there a difference if the dose of catechins was spread out through the day. My green tea capsules contain only 100mg catechins per capsule, so need to take about 6.
February 13, 2009 @ 2:07 am
Thanks, Doc. It was my impression that Green Tea was helpful, but I appreciate the solid information backing me up. With help from this and a couple of other blogs, my eating habits are getting better and better, but my system is so messed up from all those years of chowing down on “healthy whole grains” that I’ll take any help I can get on the way back to healthy.
February 13, 2009 @ 2:40 am
Add a dash of lemon, lime or other citrus juice to your green tea — which protects the beneficial ingredients as they make their way through your digestive system and multiplies the positive effect.
There is a lot of research on this subject. Here is a link to a news article summarizing sources: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health1/a-dash-of-lemon-in-your-green-tea-may-boost-its-antioxidant-levels_1004952.html
And it tastes good!
February 13, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
Could this be achieved by drinking green tea (how much per day?) or do you need to take supplements?
February 13, 2009 @ 3:58 pm
I didn’t know you could get green tea capsules – this is great news, because I find the stuff undrinkable. Is it just as good to take it in pill form? And going back to Sue’s question, do the capsules exist in one daily dose form? Thanks!
February 13, 2009 @ 7:29 pm
Interesting. The emerging knowledge about the constituent phyto-nutrients in herbs and food is exciting and the growing understanding is some of the more helpful science to reach ordinary people. Even considering food in the context of satisfying hunger and purely on the basis of eating to meet energy requirements it supports many complex metabolic and regulatorary functions, does it not? Evolution has shaped the inner workings of our bodies in that way.
Nature has also provided much vegetable matter that is inedible for humans, or even significantly toxic.
Just as the pharmaceutical industry is busy beavering away concocting the next wonder-drug there are individuals with a scepticism for pharmaceuticals who would like to latch on to some wonder herb. A cure without side-effects.
When Doctors prescribe a drug for a condition or in a way that has not been fully researched does not the term “going off-label” apply? It acknowledges that despite aspirations for benefits there are greater risks for complications than in licensed application.
I like green tea, it seems it has powerful anti-oxidant constituents. I can drink it without sugar and I don’t mind it hot, cold, or in between. It has negligable glycemic load.
However, I am minded to think quite cautiously. Do we fully understand the potential potency of constituents even within wholly natural foods and herbs and do we fully understand how nature dictates that the complex workings of our bodies make use of them. In a metaphor, my purely personal point of view would be to caution “going off-label” in relation to nature. I would not naturally assume that natural remedies or supplements, when taken in doses that nature has not prepared our bodies for, are entirely without unforeseen consequences. Research is just as important as with pharmaceuticals.
(Anything that could help me lose a little weight from around my middle would be helpful!)
February 14, 2009 @ 2:03 am
I finally got around to thumbing the pages of New Scientist (14/02/09 issue) and In Brief reports of the drug interaction you mention in your final paragraph.
The team led by Axel Schonthal of the University of Southern California established that in mice ECGC, an antioxidant constituent of green tea, blocked the efficacy of bortezomib to shrink cancer tumours.
February 24, 2009 @ 1:59 pm