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Information About Green Tea and Weight LossThe antioxidant health benefits of green tea are well known. Research has also shown green tea to be effective against a number of other conditions, ranging from lowering cholesterol to cancer prevention. Now scientists believe that green tea may help people to boost metabolism, reduce appetite and lose weight. Evidence That Green Tea Helps Weight LossGreen Tea Weight Loss Study (A)In a study published in the journal Endocrinology, epigallocatechin gallate - a major chemical component of green tea - was injected into rats causing them to lose up to 21 percent of their body weight. The rats consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily injections. Green Tea Weight Loss Study (B)In a small study published in the December 1999 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, subjects (average age 25, ranging in body type from "lean" to "mildly overweight") took green tea extract plus a caffeine supplement with each meal. Two other groups took just the caffeine supplements, or a placebo. The subjects were put on a "typical Western diet" of about 13 percent protein, 40 percent fat and 47 percent carbohydrates. During the study, researchers measured the men's energy expenditure (the number of calories used in a 24-hour period) and also gauged the men's respiration quotient (RQ). RQ measures how the body handles fats, carbohydrates and proteins. A lower RQ means that more fats are being metabolized by the body for energy. Results showed that those men taking the green tea extract experienced a significant increase in 24-h energy expenditure and a significant decrease in 24-h RQ over those taking only caffeine or the placebo. Subjects who took the green tea extract also used more fat calories than those using the placebo. Researchers believe that it's the catechin polyphenols in the green tea extract which may alter the body's use of norepinephrine, a chemical transmitter in the nervous system, to increase the rate of calorie burning. The researchers concluded: "Green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content per se. The green tea extract may play a role in the control of body composition via sympathetic activation of thermogenesis, fat oxidation, or both." Green Tea May Have Fewer Adverse Side Effects Than DrugsSignificantly, according to researchers, the use of green tea extract was "not accompanied by an increase in heart rate." This suggests that green tea may be a viable option to stimulant-based diet drugs which can be risky for obese individuals and patients with raised blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions. More Weight Loss Research Needed Into the Benefits of Green TeaIt is too soon to be certain about the link between green tea and weight loss. More studies are still needed. Meantime if you have tried and failed to lose weight with conventional weight loss programs, you may care to give green tea a try. If so, use extracts that have a standardized polyphenol content. Also, for best weight loss results, remember to combine your use of green tea with a healthy diet and exercise program. Note: if you take blood thinning medications, talk to your doctor before taking green tea extracts, because green tea extracts may interfere with blood clotting. Sources include: Dulloo A, et al. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Amer J Clin Nutr 1999;70:1040-45. Information About Obesity Drugs and Weight Loss Supplements |
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Reviews of Obesity Medications and Diet SupplementsThis web site provides only general advice on popular weight loss pills and dietary supplements. Under no circumstances should this information be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Before taking any diet or weight loss pills, we recommend that you seek advice from your doctor. Only your doctor can safely advise you about which drugs or supplements are best for you.© 2006. Diet-Pills-Information. All rights reserved. |