What is Green Tea Extract?

Green tea has been used for centuries by the Chinese as a treatment for a wide range of health conditions. Green tea has been known to effectively treat and cure poor digestion, body aches, headaches, improve life expectancy and well being. The green tea extract is taken from the leaves of the plant and used for a wide variety of things. The extract is bioflavonoid rich, and one of its main uses is fighting free radicals in your body. The green tea extract also contains very high levels of polyphenols (a bioflavonoid), and it's also a rich source of EGCG (an antioxidant).

The EGCG that is contained in the green tea extract helps to protect the body against respiratory infections, digestive infections and also blocks the actions of carcinogens which promotes cancer. It also has anti-bacterial properties and is effective in reducing cholesterol levels.

Green tea extract is also very popular as a weight loss product. It is responsible for thermogenesis and helps the metabolism of fat. The extract works with the body by allowing it to increase the heart rate which allows for the increase of the metabolism. Green tea extract also helps reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and has been recently show to help prevent liver failure.

 Green Tea Leaf Extract Studies

Study 1 – This study was done at the University of North Carolina and the object was to determine the free radical scavenging effects of green tea leaf extract on problems associated with fatty livers. This was done by getting rats and allowing them to get drunk. Once they were fully inebriated the rats were put to sleep and the livers were removed from the bodies. The extract livers were then bathed in green tea extract solution. Once this was completed, the livers were transplanted into rats who had unhealthy livers. The study went on to show that 13% of the rats whose livers were untreated lived. The ones who had their liver transplanted with green tea had a 77% survival rate.

 

Study 2 - A research was done at the Memorial Medical Center in the Philippines trying to see the effects of using green teat to treat acne. The purpose of this was done to compare the effects of 3% green tea cream and 4% benzoyl peroxide on moderate to severe acne. There was a group of people and they were divided into two separate groups. Group one had benzoyl peroxide cream and the other had the green tea extract cream. This was done twice daily over a period of 3 months. Once it was finished the study showed that green tea extract cream was able to lighten the subjects faces as well as improve the skin complexion. The study also showed that the green tea extract had less side effects compared to benzoyl peroxide. The group who had the green tea cream reported less cases of itching, dry skin and allergic responses.

Green Tea Side Effects

Overall there are very little if not no side effects associated with the use of this product. However green tea extract contains caffeine and people who might have complications in existing conditions as it relates to caffeine should be careful. There is also the possibility of having insomnia if you take the green tea extract, this is due to the fact that it contains caffeine.

A health care practitioner should be consulted before taking the green tea extract. Pregnant women should also consult their doctors before using green tea. Individuals take MAOI inhibitors (anti depressant) should avoid taking green tea.

Green Tea Extract Daily Dosage

Green tea extracts in capsule form are recommended for daily dosages of 100 to 150mg 3 times daily.