Green tea extract and hoodia are popular supplements, often marketed for their potential as weight loss supplements. While green tea extract and hoodia supplements are generally safe when taken as recommended, you should always check with your doctor before taking any new herb or supplement. As with any supplement, green tea extract and hoodia can cause negative side effects and interact with other drugs and herbs in some cases.
Caffeine Effects
Green tea is naturally caffeinated, and many green tea extracts contain caffeine as well. While pure hoodia does not contain caffeine, hoodia supplements often contain green tea extract or other forms of caffeine. Caffeine increases your heart rate and blood pressure, which can lead to a temporary increase in energy and metabolism. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. If you do not consume caffeine regularly you may find that you have difficulty sleeping, increased urination or gastrointestinal problems. Large amounts of caffeine can lead to toxicity. Pregnant women should avoid caffeine as large amounts can lead to low birth weight and spontaneous abortion, according to MayoClinic.com.
Cancer Prevention
Green tea may help protect you from certain cancers, reducing your risk of developing some cancer cells. Cancer rates in general are lower in countries where people regularly drink green tea, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Many studies regarding green tea and cancer rates are inconclusive or show varying results among different studies on the same type of cancer. Talk to your doctor about the benefits of drinking green tea regularly or taking green tea extract supplements to reduce your cancer risk, especially if you have a family history of certain types of cancer or other risk factors.
Weight Loss
Green tea extract and hoodia are often combined in supplements by companies that market them to individuals who are trying to lose weight. While some clinical studies suggest that green tea extract can help boost metabolism and burn fat in some individuals, MayoClinic.com gives green tea extract a C grade for weight loss and maintenance, meaning that there is not sufficient evidence for this particular use of green tea extract. Mayo Clinic internist Brent A. Bauer, M.D. warns that there is no solid medical evidence that hoodia is an effective appetite suppressant. Many dietary supplements sold as hoodia do not contain any extract from the actual plant, so it is important to read labels carefully and only purchase dietary supplements from trusted sources.
Drug Interactions
Green tea extract is safe for most people, though it can cause undesirable interactions with other medications and supplements. Green tea can decrease the effectiveness of adenosine, clozapine, sedatives and blood thinners in some people. Women who take oral contraceptives may experience increased effects from the caffeine in green tea extract due to oral contraceptives increasing the amount of time caffeine stays in the body. Caffeine can cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure in some people who take beta-blockers, propranolol, metoprolol or phenylpropanolamine. There are no known interactions between hoodia and other medications, according to Drugs.com, but it is best to check with your doctor and disclose any medications and supplements you currently take before taking hoodia.
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