Weight loss tea pills, which contain green tea powder and, sometimes, other vitamins and herbs may help you lose an extra ½ lb. of fat per week, depending on how many antioxidants the pill you choose contains. If you take green pills that contain only the powder from green tea leaves, you may enjoy weight loss benefits with few risks. Some tea pills contain extra ingredients that may produce unwanted side effects.
Green Tea Antioxidants
Green tea is loaded with healthy antioxidants proven in more than 15 clinical trials to produce weight loss according to the "Los Angeles Times." In the studies, weight loss was achieved by people who consumed more than 300 mg of green tea antioxidants daily. You would need to drink 3 cups of green tea brewed from fresh leaves or organic tea bags or 30 cups of bottled green tea attain 300 mg of antioxidants, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Taking green tea in pill form can be a convenient -- and less water-logged method -- of benefiting from the metabolism-boosting and fat-burning properties of green tea.
How to Check Antioxidant Levels in Tea Pills
If you're buying green tea pills, check the labels for the amount of antioxidants contained in the pills. The antioxidant in green teas linked to weight loss is called epigallocatechin gallate. This might also be listed on a label by the initials EGCG or the common name catechins. You might also see a listing for flavonoids. If the daily recommended dose of the tea pills contains 300 mg or more of catechins, it will likely boost your weight loss efforts. If the maximum dose is less, you may be tempted to take extra pills. This would likely be safe if the tea pills contained pure green powder, according to the Mayo Clinic. But if the green tea pills contain additional ingredients, taking more pills could be harmful.
Additional Ingredients in Some Tea Pills
Green tea weight loss pills labeled "natural" tend to contain the fewest additional ingredients and those promising high rates of weight loss the most. Some additives, such as calcium, are healthy and rarely toxic. Some ingredients to be concerned about if you find them on product labels include these: guarana, a stimulant that may cause jitters and general nervousness; fo-ti root; a detoxifying herb that may cause loose stools; eleuthero, an energy-boosting herb also known as Siberian Ginseng that may cause high blood pressure and sleep disorders; kelp and bladderwrack, types of seaweed that could help some types of thyroid conditions but cause thyroid problems for those who don't have the particular disorder, and gotu kola, an herb that may promote mental clarity but could also cause liver problems.
Clinical Trials
Taking green tea pills helped participants in a clinical trial nearly 5 lbs. in eight weeks. In the study, conducted by Arkita Basu and others at Oklahoma State University, people who consumed green pills containing 460 mg of catechins daily lost 4.9 lbs more than people who took a placebo. People who drank 4 cups of strong green tea containing about 525 mg of catechins lost slightly more -- 5.5 lbs, according to a report published in August 2010 in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition." In another clinical trial conducted by Kevin Maki, a private United States researcher, green tea proved particularly effective in eliminating abdominal fat, according to an article in the February 2009 "Journal of Nutrition."
Caffeine Precautions
Green tea contains caffeine. Check the label on the pill's product label for amounts. Pregnant women should limit caffeine consumption to no more than 100 mg per day in order to prevent giving birth to low weight babies, according to the "British Medical Journal." You can buy decaffeinated green tea pills, but they will include few antioxidants, according to the USDA. Pregnant and nursing women should also consult with their physicians before adding herbs such as guarana and ginseng to their diets.
References
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition;" Green Tea Supplementation Affects Body Weight, Lipids, and Lipid Peroxidation in Obese Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome; Arpita Basu etal; 2010
- "Los Angeles Times;" Slim Chance Green Tea Can Burn Fat Off; Chris Woolston; Aug. 16, 2010
- USDA: Flavonoid Composition of Black and Green Tea
- Mayo Clinic: Green Tea Extract Shows Promise in Leukemia Trials
- University of Maryland: Siberian Ginseng
- Herb Wisdom: Fo-ti Root
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