Drinking green tea has been thought to provide medicinal benefits for thousands of years, mostly in China, India and Japan. More recently, nutritional supplement manufacturers worldwide have created green tea extract supplements. Green tea supplements are sold in dried leaf capsule form or as extracts. According to the The University Of Maryland Medical Center, green tea extract is the preferred form. As with any herbal supplement, consult with a health care provider before taking green tea extract supplements.
Antioxidants
Green tea extract contains a variety of antioxidants, particularly polyphenols, which, neutralize the effects of unstable molecules known as free radicals. According to The UMMC, scientists have linked the damage caused by free radicals to premature aging and many diseases. The antioxidant effect of polyphenols may be more potent than that of vitamin C, states the UMMC. Polyphenols contain a family of compounds called catechins, with apigallocatechin gallate being the most active.
Genital Warts
In 2006, The FDA approved a form of green tea extract as a treatment for genital warts, which are caused by human papilloma virus. The FDA based its approval on two clinical trials performed on nearly 400 adults who had genital and anal warts. The green tea extract was applied three times daily in ointment form until all the warts were gone. Warts disappeared in an average of 16 weeks for the first trial and 10 weeks for the second trial. The subjects reported mild side effects such as itching and burning.
Leukemia
Apigallocatechin gallate, extracted from green tea, has shown promise in treating patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. CLL is an aggressive form of cancer that as of 2010 had no cure. According to Tait Shanafelt, M.D.. the lead author of a study conducted by The Mayo Clinic, leukemia patients received apigallocatechin gallate in capsule form and experienced regression in their CLL. Some patients also experienced a decrease in size of their enlarged lymph nodes.
Weight Loss
According to UMMC, green tea extract may increase metabolism and promote weight loss. The stimulation to the metabolism is thought to be linked to the presence of catechins in green tea. One study combined green tea extract with caffeine; subjects, all moderately overweight, experienced improved weight loss.
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