By the year 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the population of overweight people will increase to more than 1.5 billion.  The big number is expected to incur bigger health costs – approximated at $117 billion per year, or more, in the United States alone. This fact is one of the reasons why weight-reducing products are flooding the market nowadays.  While some may be deemed effective, not everything is considered safe.

A recent study was led by Frank Thielecke, from DSM Nutritional Products.  The results revealed that health supplements containing green tea purified extract, when taken on a daily basis, may be effective in helping men beat the battle with the bulge while at the same time increasing their rate of energy expenditure. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a substance found in green tea, and when given in low doses, was discovered to boost oxidation of fatty substances by 33 percent.  The study shows that the catechin, EGCG in green tea, has the potential to enhance fat oxidation of men who are considered to be obese, within 2 hours after a meal.  All these findings were published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Although there have been extensive studies already done with regards to green tea’s potential in the weight management category with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) flagged as the main component, there is always room for more. The recent findings will hopefully pave the way for others and provide more opportunities for scientifically-substantiated and evidence-based studies, in order to find a weight management product that is both effective and safe.

What’s in Green Tea?

The EGCG found in green tea is said to help promote weight loss.  Generally, there are three proposed mechanisms of action:

• EGCG may improve fatty acid oxidation as well as energy metabolism
• EGCG stops the development of fat cell (apidogenesis)
• EGCG decreases absorption of fat and increases its excretion

Although for the EGCG in green tea to truly aid in weight loss, it has been reported that caffeine must also be present as it is needed to stimulate the nervous system.

The latest research, which was done in partnership with Universitary Medicine Berlin and its scientists, reinforces the relationship between EGCG and caffeine.  However, it is said that the two compounds produce the same effects. A 300 mg dose of EGCG alone, given daily, was related to a 33 percent improvement in the oxidation of fat; a 200 mg daily dose of caffeine was associated with a 34.5 percent improvement. For male subjects exposed to a combination of caffeine (200 mg) and EGCG (300 mg), researchers found an increase in fat oxidation approximately by 50 percent.

The study made use of EGCG from DSM’s Teavigo ingredient which contains 94 percent EGCG purity.

Details of the Study

Ten obese and overweight men, but nonetheless healthy, were recruited by Thielecke and his team to take part in their double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial. The participants were assigned at random to one of five groups:

1st group: Placebo

2nd group: 300 mg EGCG/Low-dose

3rd group: 600 mg EGCG/High-dose

4th group: 200 mg Caffeine

5th group: 300 mg EGCG plus 200 mg caffeine

For three days, the men were asked to take the supplements, followed by a washout period of seven days and then were made to do a cross-over to the next group. By the end of the study, all participants have been part of each and every group.

The results revealed that, two hours following a meal, the low-dose group was found to have a 33 percent improvement in fatty oxidation while the high-dose group produced a 20 percent increase, but still insignificant when compared to the placebo group. The caffeine group has shown a 34.5 percent increase in fat oxidation compared with placebo, while there was 49 percent fat oxidation boost with the combination of caffeine/EGCG supplements.

The researchers of the study noted that lower doses of EGCG may be ideal for influencing the rate of energy expenditure compared to higher doses that do not offer any added effects.  Thiecke and his fellow researchers remarked that the EGCG apparently affects the early part of fat oxidation while caffeine has an effect on both phases (early/late) of fat oxidation after meal intake.

This published study is also supported by Pennsylvania State University’s researchers.  Penn State’s Department of Food Science assistant professor, Dr. Josh Lambert, remarked that lab studies, as well as modest study ventures, have shown that tea intake might encourage weight loss, help sustain body weight after losing excess pounds, and stop the onset of conditions such as fatty liver and diabetes -- two diseases mostly associated with obesity. For its utmost effectiveness, the recommendation for green tea is to take a minimum of 3 cups to a maximum of 10 cups on a daily basis.

Other Health Benefits of Drinking Green Tea

Green tea is versatile – it provides many more health benefits aside from promoting weight loss.  Here are a few fast facts about what green tea can do for you:

• More than a decade’s work of research is available, specifically pointing out its potential to help in the prevention of cancer and diseases of the heart.
  
  
• Research have shown that EGCG is a potent anti-oxidant which,  aside from restricting growth of cancer cells, also helps kill these cancer cells without causing harm to the healthy tissues.
  
  
• Green tea has also been found to be effective in reducing the LDL cholesterol levels (otherwise known as the bad cholesterol).
  
  
• It also restricts the abnormal formation of blood clots which is the leading cause of heart attacks as well as stroke.
  
  
• Not fond of the dentist? Well here’s good news for you! Green tea has also been shown to prevent tooth decay because it has the capability to kill bacteria that causes dental plaques.
  
  
• Beauty junkies will also appreciate using green tea because of its anti-oxidant properties that serve as powerful vitamins. A concentrated extract of green tea can be a flexible add-on to your medicine cabinet and everyday beauty routine. If you feel as though your face is looking dull and tired, you can use a green tea spritzer to freshen up your face.
  
  
• Do you have dark spots in your face and/or blemishes that you wish would go away? Surprisingly, when it is applied, green tea can be very effective in helping erase these unwanted dark spots and blemishes.
  
  
• Also because it has antiseptic properties, minor cuts and rashes can be treated using green tea.
  
  
• Lastly, if you’ve been exposed to the sun for too long, resulting in sun burnt skin, you can simply soak a cloth in green tea liquid and leave it on your skin until it begins to cool.

Sources
nutraingredients.com
ivillage.co.uk
benefitsofgreentea.info
webmd.com