Green tea contains a group of antioxidants called catechins, which are associated with most of the herb's effects. In addition, green tea also contains caffeine. Evidence indicates that green tea is beneficial for fat loss, since it increases calorie-burning and enhances fat utilization during exercise. Consult your health care provider before taking green tea.
Norepinephrine
Norepinpehrine is a hormone that attaches to beta-receptors on fat cells and signals the activation of the enzyme hormone-sensitive lipase, which breaks down fat cells and enhances your body's use of fat as fuel. Scientists at Maastricht University in the Netherlands discovered that green tea catechins prevent norepinephrine from being destroyed, leading to higher norepinephrine levels in your body and greater fat-burning. The findings were reported in the April 2010 issue of "Physiology Behavior."
Green Tea and Caffeine
Scientists at the University of Connecticut performed a review of 15 studies regarding the impact of green tea catechins with or without caffeine on body weight and waist circumference. They concluded that green tea catechins with caffeine were associated with a significant decrease in body weight and waist circumference, according to research reported in the January 2010 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Choose green tea rather than decaffeinated green tea for weight loss.
Exercise
During aerobic exercise, your body uses a combination of carbohydrates and fat for fuel. Taking green tea extract may enhance fat utilization, according to a study performed by researchers at Waseda University in Japan. Subjects consumed 573 mg of green tea catechins or a placebo daily for 10 weeks. Both groups performed three 60-minute aerobic exercise sessions per week. Scientists reported in the March 2010 issue of the "Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports" that those in the green tea group experienced greater utilization of fat during exercise compared with those taking a placebo.
Interactions
Blood-thinning medications, beta-blockers and antibiotics may interact with green tea, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Consult your health care provider before taking green tea, especially if you're taking medication or pregnant.
References
- "Physiology Behavior"; Green Tea Catechins, Caffeine and Body-Weight Regulation; M.S. Westerterp-Plantenga; April 2010
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effect of Green Tea Catechins With or Without Caffeine on Anthropometric Measures: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; O.J. Phung et al.; January 2010
- "Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports"; Effect of Endurance Training Supplemented With Green Tea Extract on Substrate Metabolism During Exercise in Humans; T. Ichinose et al.; March 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Green Tea; 2011
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