Green Tea study on weight loss in obese individuals

In this study, Green Tea Extract was given to 70 modestly obese individuals for 3 months. The average body mass index, a measure of body fat, was 28.9% at enrollment into the study. The patients consumed a total of 270mg EGCG daily divided into two servings. By the 12th week, body weight dropped by an average of 4.6% and waist size decreased by 4.5%. The Green Tea Extracts EGCG stimulated thermogenesis; the burning of brown fat and the burning of calories. The EGCG did not affect heart rate; many thermogenic agents can affect heart rate and blood pressure. This study is published in the journal Phytomedicine 9[1];3-8;2003. In a second study, daily consumption of Green Tea Extract increased the 24-hour energy expenditure (calorie burning) by 4% compared to placebo. This study appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Commentary by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph.

Studies show it is not the caffeine which helps decrease the risk of developing diabetes but probably the polyphenols.

Higher intake of Green Tea protects cognitive function in the elderly

A comprehensive Geriatric Assessment of 1003 elderly Japanese community living residents over the age of 70 was conducted in 2002. It turns out that a higher intake of Green Tea in these elderly subjects was associated with protection of cognitive function. The Mini Mental State Examination is a measure of cognitive status in adults. It can be used to screen for cognitive impairment or to estimate the degree of cognitive impairment and to assess changes to cognitive function over time. With a cutoff of 26, an accepted cutoff for assessing cognitive status, it was found that for 3 cups of Green Tea a week there was an even chance of cognitive decline, for 4 to 6 cups a week the risk of cognitive decline was 48% lower, and for 2 cups or more per day the risk of cognitive decline dropped by 64%. A higher intake of Green tea is associated with a lower prevalence of cognitive impairment in humans. The study was performed at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan and is published in the February 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.