Green Tea Extract (GTE) has often been suggested to improve cardiovascular risk factors, including circulating lipids, predominantly based on small and short randomized controlled trials.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, researchers observed the effects of daily green tea extract supplementation high in Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) for 12 months on blood lipids in healthy postmenopausal women in America.
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of daily Green Tea Extract supplementation high in EGCG for 12 months on blood lipids in healthy postmenopausal women in U.S.
Participants did not regularly consume tea and had a mean body mass index of 25.1. Each woman took two capsules of GTE or placebo twice daily for one year.
The researchers found that one-year supplementation with green tea extract capsules resulted in significant reduction of circulating total cholesterol (by 2.1%), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (4.1%), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (by 3.1%).
They concluded that among healthy postmenopausal women, supplementation with GTE significantly reduced circulating TC and LDL-C levels, especially in those with elevated baseline TC levels without the use of lipid lowering drug statin.
These novel findings suggest that GTE can be developed as a potential cholesterol lowering agent, especially for those who are intolerant to statin.
Study title: Green Tea Extract Supplementation Modifies Circulating Lipids in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Hamed Samavat, April Rose, Allison Dostal, Renwei Wang, Anna Wu, Jian-Min Yuan, and Mindy Kurzer