Research and Scientific Publication

Green tea catechins reduce body fat

Ingestion of a tea rich in catechins leads to a reduction in body fat and malondialdehyde-modified LDL in men

By Tomonori Nagao, Yumiko Komine, Satoko Soga, Shinichi Meguro, Tadashi Hase, Yukitaka Tanaka and Ichiro Tokimitsu
Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 81, No. 1, 122-129, January 2005.

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Methodology

This groundbreaking study of the physiologic effects of catechins (the major component of green tea) on body fat reduction in humans involved a 12-week double-blind study.

One group of subjects drank ordinary green tea. The other group drank green tea enhanced with 690mg of catechins.

Initial body weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were similar in the two groups.

Results

The researchers reported that after just 12 weeks, body weight, BMI, waist circumference, body fat mass and subcutaneous fat area were significantly lower in the group group drinking the catechin enhanced green tea.

Those drinking the ordinary green tea showed no change.

green tea extract group than in the control group. Changes in the concentrations of malondialdehyde-modified LDL were positively associated with changes in body fat mass and total fat area in the green tea extract group.

Conclusion

The researchers concluded that daily consumption of 690 mg of catechins for 12 weeks reduced body fat.