While most green tea products are advertised as "fat-burner" or "weight loss supplements" a recent study by Stendall-Hollins et al. (
Stendall-Hollins. 2010) confirmed, what attentive readers of the SuppVersity will already know: Green Tea certainly is healthy, but consumption of the brew or capped extracts, alone, won't make you lose weight:
The effect of daily decaffeinated green tea intake on weight, body composition and changes in resting metabolic rate, energy intake, glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment - insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and lipids was evaluated in overweight breast cancer survivors. Participants had a mean weight of 80.2 kg; body mass index (BMI) 30.1 kg m(-2); and body fat 46.4%. Participants (n = 54) were randomised to 960 mL of decaffeinated green or placebo tea daily for 6 months. Results: Mean (SD) tea intake among study completers (n = 39) was 5952 (1176) mL week(-1) and was associated with a significant reduction in energy intake (P = 0.02). Change in body weight of -1.2 kg (green tea) versus +0.2 kg (placebo) suggests a weight change effect, although this was not statistically significant. Decaffeinated green tea intake was associated with elevated high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (P = 0.003) and nonsignificant improvements in the HDL/LDL ratio and HOMA-IR (-1.1 +/- 5.9: green tea; +3.2 +/- 7.2: herbal). Conclusions: Intake of decaffeinated green tea for 6 months was associated with a slight reduction in body weight and improved HDL and glucose homeostasis in overweight breast cancer survivors.
With reference to the loss in body weight it has to be said, that the participants in the green tea group
drastically reduced their caloric intake (-1.096.5 kJ/day; cf. figure 1):
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| Figure 1: Dietary intake and physical activity characteristics of breast cancer survivors participating in the green tea study (n = 39) |
It would be interesting to further investigate these anorectic effects green tea had on the subjects of the study. At least for those of you who feel they are hungry all day, drinking green tea may thus offer a partial solution to your weight problems.
