Do Green Tea Supplements Work For Weight Loss?

Green tea acts as a stimulant, astringent, and diuretic. It also has been touted as a treatment for high cholesterol, cancer, atherosclerosis and diabetes, states The University of Maryland Medical Center. Today, green tea is often promoted as an effective aid in weight loss. With its polyphenols, particularly its catechins, green tea has the ability to stimulate the metabolism and burn excess body fat.

Identification and Description

Green tea is made from the unfermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant that grows throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Green tea is bitter in taste and typically green in color. It is abundant in antioxidants, especially polyphenols known as catechins. Green tea actually contains six different types of catechins, including epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, the compound scientists believe promotes weight loss and fat oxidation. Green tea also contains the alkaloids caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline, as well as the amino acid L-theanine. Aside from tea form, green tea can be found in capsule and standardized and liquid extract form.

Scientific Evidence

Green tea has the ability to shed excess water and fat from the body, increase its energy expenditure, and stimulate a more efficient metabolism. In a study published in the February 2008 issue of "Physiology and Behavior," researchers discovered that green tea can increase the energy expenditure and fat oxidation in obese individuals. During this study, 60 obese participants were given either a placebo or a green tea supplement while following the same diet. The results showed dramatic drops in body weight, body mass index and resting energy expenditure in those participants who ingested the green tea supplement compared with those who used the placebo. In another study published just one year later in the February issue of "The Journal of Nutrition," clinicians found that consuming a green tea beverage containing 625 mg of catechins and exercising daily increased participant's ability to lose more abdominal fat, increased their metabolic rate and improved their triglyceride levels. In 2011, a study was published in the January issue of "The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry" that proved consumption of green tea containing at least 270 to 1,200 mg of catechins per day reduced overall body weight and fat. The researchers found that green tea catechins mixed with the caffeine green tea contains directly influences the sympathetic nervous system and thereby increasing energy expenditure and promoting fat oxidation.

Dosage

If you are using green tea as a weight loss aid, The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that you drink approximately 2 to 3 cups of decaffeinated green tea per day. That would give you between 240 to 320 mg of polyphenols which is necessary to spike the metabolism and promote fat oxidation without increasing your heart rate or adversely effecting your nervous system. If drinking green tea is not an option, you can also use 100 to 750 mg of standardized green tea extract per day.

Precautions

Green tea, although it is sold over the counter and in grocery stores, is still considered an herb. Therefore, before using green tea for a medical condition or for weight loss, first consult with a medical professional. While using green tea, you may experience some adverse minor side effects. These include irritability, insomnia, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, headaches and loss of appetite. Those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, have kidney disorders, stomach ulcers, heart issues, depression or anxiety disorders should refrain from using green tea in any form.

Do Green Tea Supplements Work for Weight Loss?

Identification and Description

Scientific Evidence

Dosage

Precautions

References

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