Green Tea to Lose Weight

Green tea comes from the dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and has been used for drinking as a beverage for more than 5,000 years. Green tea has many positive health benefits and may be beneficial to those with medical conditions such as elevated cholesterol, atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease and obesity.

Function

Many of the benefits of green tea are linked to a chemical known as polyphenol. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, polyphenol contains antioxidants, which are substances that protect the body against free radicals in the body. Free radicals cause oxidative damage to cells, resulting in the alteration of cell DNA and cell death.

Benefits

The benefits of green tea come from the antioxidant properties of a type of polyphenol in green tea known as catechins, notes the University of Maryland. Other benefits of green tea in addition to weight loss include prevention of coronary artery disease, lowering of cholesterol, protection against certain cancers, prevention of diabetes, prevention of liver disease and reduction in inflammation associated with arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Recommended Intake

Green tea may be taken in the form of a beverage or capsule. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends 2 to 3 cups of green tea a day or 100 to 750 mg of green-tea extract a day.

Theories/Speculation

Although results of studies on the benefits of green tea have been mixed, several studies have demonstrated a positive outcome. One study published in the Dec. 11, 2008 issue of the "Journal of Nutrition" found that a combination of green tea, caffeine and moderate exercise increased weight loss. Participants drank a beverage with 625 mg of green tea catechins and 39 mg of caffeine for 12 weeks and exercised at a moderate intensity at least 180 minutes per week. The result was a 7.7 percent reduction in total abdominal fat and a 6.2 percent reduction in subcutaneous abdominal fat. The control group in comparison showed a 0.3 percent and 0.8 percent reduction respectively. Another study published in 2010 in the "Journal of American College of Nutrition" showed that consumption of 4 cups of green tea a day or two capsules of a green-tea extract supplement a day for eight weeks improved weight loss and decreased body-mass index. Participants who drank green tea or took extract had a total weight loss of 2.5 kg in comparison to the control group which lost 1.9 kg.

Warning

Medline Plus, a division of the National Institutes of Health, notes that green tea should be used with caution as it contains caffeine, which is a both a stimulant and diuretic, and may cause side effects including anxiety, insomnia, irritability, nausea and frequent urination. Those with liver disease should use caffeine carefully as levels may build up in the blood. Caffeine should also be used cautiously in women who are pregnant or nursing. Possible drug interactions include warfarin, adenosine, antipsychotics, MAOI antidepressants, phenytoin, proton pump inhibitors, terbinafine, hydrocortisone, fluconazole, levodopa, methoxsalen, metformin, insulin, timolol and theophylline.