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Green Tea Weight Loss Tablets

Jun 14, 2011 | By Milo Dakota
Green Tea Weight Loss Tablets
Photo Credit Steph Fowler/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Green teas has proven metabolism-boosting powers, but before you rush to the store to stock up on green tea weight loss tablets, you should know two things: you may not shed many pounds -- certainly not the 20 lbs. advertised on some pill bottles -- and the supplements may contain unsafe ingredients. Carefully read product labels and consult a physician before taking green tea supplements to lose weight.

Clinical Trial

People who took green tea supplements lost an extra 4.9 lbs compared to those who took no supplements in a 2010 study, led by Arpita Basu of Oklahoma State University. Participants either took two capsules of green tea extract containing a total of 460 mg of catechins -- the antioxidants in green tea -- 4 cups of strong green tea or two placebo pills. People who drank green tea lost 5.5 lbs., according to the study published in 2010 in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition."

Expert Insight

Craig Coleman says the weight loss associated with green tea supplements is too insignificant to make taking them worthwhile. Coleman, as associate professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Connecticut, said he would not recommend taking green tea extract for weight loss. He said his review of 15 studies about green tea and weight loss found that people who took green tea in any form lost 1 to 3 lbs. over the course of three to 24 weeks.

Safety Considerations

Green tea is safe for most people, but its caffeine content could be harmful to some, including pregnant women. According to the "British Medical Journal," caffeine intake is associated with lower birth weight babies. Green tea may also interfere with the effectiveness of a cancer medication called bortezomib. Green tea weight loss tablets often include additional ingredients, so check labels and do some homework about the safety and value of other herbs in a green tea tablet.

Additional Ingredients

One popular green tea capsule contains seven additional herbs: eluethero, fo-ti root, garcinia, guarana extract, gotu kola, bladderwrack and kelp. Eleuthero, an energy booster also known as Siberian gingseng, may cause sleep disorders and high blood pressure. Guarana, similar to caffeine in effect, may cause jitters. Gotu kola, intended to increase mental clarity, may cause liver problems if taken for an extended period of time. Bladderwrack and kelp, types of seaweed, contain iodine. They are meant to improve thyroid function but, unless you suffer from iodine deficiency, taking them could lead to hyperthyroidism -- overactive thyroid.

Diet and Exercise

Claims that you can lose up to 20 lbs. by taking green tea weight loss tablets are not patently false. But if you read the label carefully, you will see that the claim assumes you will also follow a diet and exercise program. You could lose 20 lbs. through diet and exercise alone. On a moderately-reduced calorie diet, you would lose 20 lbs. in about 20 weeks. If you added exercise, you might drop that amount of weight in 15 weeks or less, although this would depend on the type of exercise you chose and how regularly you pursued it.

References

Article reviewed by Jenna Marie Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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