Green Tea Side Effects and Benefits
Green Tea, Camellia sinensis, Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG)

Green tea is different from black tea, that green tea is not fermented.
The active ingredients remain unaltered in the tea. Traditionally,
green tea was used for digestion, depression, immune enhancement,
detoxification, and to prolong life. Green tea has been used in
conditions like: atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, weight loss, high
triglycerides, hives immune function and infection. Green tea is also
believed to reduce the risks for certain cancers

Green tea contains, minerals, vitamins, oils, caffeine and polyphenols
(particularly the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)). Probably,
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is green teaÂ’s key active
ingredient. [1]

GREEN TEA BENEFITS, RESEARCH FINDS

HEALTHY CHOLESTEROL PROFILE

Most studies have shown that green tea can lower the total
cholesterol levels and improve the cholesterol profile [2-6] A study
also demonstrated that green tea protected against damage to LDL
(“bad”) cholesterol caused by oxygen. [7-9]

In a recent study, mice were treated with high cholesterol food with or
without catechins for 35 weeks. Elevated inflammatory factors, high
plasma cholesterol levels, severe atherosclerosis, liver and renal
dysfunctions were found in the no catechin fed mice (i.e. the control
mice), while much milder conditions were observed in the catechin fed
mice. [23]

ANTI-CANCER ARTIVITIES

In the gastrointestinal tract, green tea was found to activate
intracellular antioxidants, inhibit procarcinogen formation, and
suppress angiogenesis and cancer cell proliferation. [20] Studies on
the preventive effect of green tea in esophageal cancer have
produced inconsistent results; however.several epidemiological,
invitro and animal studies have shown that green tea has a protective
effect against lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. This
preventive potential of green tea against cancer is related to its
active flavonoids - catechins. Epigallocatechin 3-o-gallate, the major
catechin in green tea, mediates diverse physiological and
pharmacological actions in bringing about the regression of the
tumors and also lowers the risk of nonmalignant cardiovascular
proliferative diseases. These catechins exert diverse physiological
effects against cancers via several mechanisms, [10-16, 18]

NEUROPROTECTION

Reactive oxygen species (superoxide, hydroxyl radical and nitric
oxide) generation and inflammation play important roles in the age-
associated cognitive decline and neuronal loss in neurodegenerative
diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's
diseases. And, accumulation of iron at sites where the neurons die is
one of the characteristics of these diseases. Thus, researchers think
that the accumulation of iron and reactive oxygen species may lead
to neuronal toxicity and the related diseases. Tea flavonoids
(catechins) have been reported to possess potent iron-chelating,
radical-scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities. Theoretically, it
may help protect neuronal death and against the neurodegenerative
diseases. [17]

An ingredient in green tea, called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)
may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. In a study of mice, EGCG
decreased the production beta-amyloid. [24]

WEIGHT LOSS

A recent study in Netherlands has shown that green tea reduced
body weight, waist, respiratory quotient and body fat. The
researchers explained that High caffeine intake was associated with
weight loss through thermogenesis and fat oxidation and with
suppressed leptin in women. In habitual low caffeine consumers, the
green tea-caffeine mixture improved weight maintenance, partly
through thermogenesis and fat oxidation. [22] However, more studies
are needed to confirm this claim..

GREEN TEA SIDE EFFECTS

Because green tea contains caffeine, excessive consumption of
green tea may lead to the side sides / symptoms caused by the
caffeine content in the herb- insomnia and anxiety.

As mentioned before, green tea is iron-chelating , thus, green tea
extract can inhibit the absorption of non-heme iron as much as 26%.
[21]

                        
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References
1. Graham HN. Green tea composition, consumption, and polyphenol chemistry. Prev Med
1992;21:334–50.
2. Kono S et al. Green tea consumption and serum lipid profiles: A cross-sectional study in
Northern Kyushu, Japan. Prev Med 1992;21:526–31.
3. Yamaguchi Y et al. Preventive effects of green tea extract on lipid abnormalities in serum,
liver and aorta of mice fed an atherogenic diet. Nip Yak Zas 1991;97:329–37.
4. Sagesaka-Mitane Y et al. Platelet aggregation inhibitors in hot water extract of green tea.
Chem Pharm Bull 1990;38:790–3.
5. Stensvold I et al. Tea consumption. Relationship to cholesterol, blood pressure, and
coronary and total mortality. Prev Med 1992;21:546–53.
6. Tsubono Y et al Green tea intake in relation to serum lipid levels in middle-aged Japanese
men and women. Ann Epidemiol 1997;7:280–4.
7. Serafini M et al. In vivo antioxidant effect of green tea in man. Eur J Clin Nutr 1996;50:
28–32.
8. Benzie IF et al. Consumption of green tea causes rapid increase in plasma antioxidant
power in humans. Nutr Cancer 1999;34:83–7.
9. Sasazuki S et al. Relation between green tea consumption and severity of coronary
atherosclerosis among Japanese men and women. Ann Epidemiol 2000;10:401–8.
10. Suganuma M et al. Green tea and cancer chemoprevention. Mutat Res 1999;428:339–
44.
11. Weisberger JH et al. Tea, or tea and milk, inhibit mammary gland and colon
carcinogenesis in rats. Cancer Lett 1997;114:323–7.
12. Yang CS et al. Polyphenols as inhibitors of carcinogenesis. Environ Health Perspect
1997;105(Suppl 4):971–6 [review].
13. Menon LG et al. Anti-metastatic activity of curcumin and catechin. Cancer Lett 1999;
141:159–65.
14. Mukhtar H et al. Green tea in chemoprevention of cancer. Toxicol Sci 1999;52(2 Suppl):
111–7.
15. Katiyar SK et al. Tea consumption and cancer. World Rev Nutr Diet 1996;79:154–84
[review].
16. Kohlmeier L et al. Tea and cancer prevention: an evaluation of the epidemiologic
literature. Nutr Cancer 1997;27:1–13 [review].
17. Mandel SA et al Multifunctional activities of green tea catechins in neuroprotection.
Modulation of cell survival genes, iron-dependent oxidative stress and PKC signaling
pathway. Neurosignals. 2005;14(1-2):46-60.
18. Doss MX et al, Trapping of growth factors by catechins: a possible therapeutical target for
prevention of proliferative diseases. J Nutr Biochem. 2005 May;16(5):259-66.
19. Crespy V et al A review of the health effects of green tea catechins in in vivo animal
models. J Nutr. 2004 Dec;134(12 Suppl):3431S-3440S.
20. Koo MW et al Pharmacological effects of green tea on the gastrointestinal system. Eur J
Pharmacol. 2004 Oct 1;500(1-3):177-85.
21. Samman S et al. Green tea or rosemary extract added to foods reduces nonheme-iron
absorption. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:607–12.
22. Westerterp-Plantenga MS et al Body weight loss and weight maintenance in relation to
habitual caffeine intake and green tea supplementation. Obes Res. 2005 Jul;13(7):1195-204.
23. Suzuki J et al, Dietary consumption of green tea catechins attenuate hyperlipidaemia-
induced atherosclerosis and systemic organ damage in mice. Acta Cardiol. 2005 Jun;60(3):
271-6.
24. Green Tea Compound Stops Alzheimer's in Mice HealthDay Online Publication,
September 21, 2005

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, PLEASE,
CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR.  

                          ALL RIGHT RESERVED @ 2008 zhion.
Studies have shown that green tea catechins possess anti-oxidative,
anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-arteriosclerotic and anti-bacterial activities.
[20]
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