Green Tea Extract for Weight Loss – Review

Green tea extract is an extract from the leaves of a perennial evergreen tree, which, after harvesting, did not wither or ferment. Thanks to a unique harvesting technique, minimal oxidation and heat treatment, more useful substances are stored in tea leaves than, for example, in black tea leaves.

Green tea has been used since time immemorial in traditional medicine in the places of growth and collection in the provinces of Asian countries. In Western countries, green tea has gained popularity and began to be used since the mid-twentieth century.

With the development of the pharmaceutical industry, green tea extract and some of its components — bioflavonoids, catechins, and others — were widely used.

The biological value of green tea is due to its chemical composition, which contains a record number of useful components. In total, their number exceeds half a thousand. The structure of green tea includes:

Alkaloids.
Alkaloids occupy up to 70% of the chemical composition. The essential alkaloid is caffeine. In tea leaves, it is associated with tannins and forms theine, which is formed in the leaves during the growth of the plant. It gently affects the nervous system, activates the mind and thought process. The caffeine content in green tea is equal to 4%. In addition to theine, green tea contains theobromine and guanine;

Tannins.
The content of these substances is equivalent to 10-20%. They are a complex mixture of more than thirty polyphenolic compounds consisting of tannin, Kakheti, polyphenol and their possible derivatives. Catechins and green tea tannins have the qualities of vitamin P;

Amino acids, enzymes and color pigments.
Green tea leaf extract has such vital components as protein compounds, they take up to 25% of the total composition. By their qualities, these compounds are equated to proteins of the fruits of legumes. The structure of tea contains more than 17 amino acids, in particular, glutamine. Two groups of biological pigments, thearubigins, and theaflavins are responsible for the color of tea infusion;

Trace elements and minerals.
The complex of microelements and mineral substances complements the rich composition: magnesium, manganese, sodium, silicon, calcium, potassium, fluorine, copper, iron, etc .;

Vitamins.
The group of vitamins available in the composition of tea is amazingly large. In different percentages, but it contains vitamins from the entire complex. The main ones are: Vitamin A, Vitamins B (B1, B2, B3, B5), Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Vitamin P;

Essential oils.
By quantity, the volume of essential oils in tea is minimal – 0.006%.

Green tea extract and its beneficial properties.
What is useful for green tea extract? What effect does it give? Over the past decades, many studies have been conducted on green tea plant extract, both in scientific and medical laboratories. The goal is to evaluate the useful properties and finally reveal their list. Unfortunately, many properties are still not fully understood. But in all past studies, some of which have lasted for decades, green tea extract has proven its effectiveness and healing properties. The clinically proven strength of green tea extract is manifested in the following effects on the body:

Antioxidant action.
The most valuable property of green tea extract is considered to be the ability to inhibit the oxidation of organic compounds, decreases the rate of formation of free radicals and thereby slows the aging process. This property is achieved by the presence of polyphenols epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), flavonoid quercetin (Qu), epigallocatechin (ЕGС), and also vitamins C and E;

Cytoprotective and anti-cancerogenic action.
Green tea extract is the best natural cancer protector. This action of the extract has been maximally studied and confirmed by countless studies of world-famous clinics and institutes. Proved the effectiveness of flavonoids (catechins) contained in green tea, with the combined treatment of malignant tumors. Catechins disrupt the occurrence of carcinogenic compounds by positively affecting the interaction of cells and inhibiting the oncoproteins. Accordingly, the rate of tumor progression decreases;

Cardioprotective effect.
Scientists also proved the fact that green tea extract acts as a protection for cells from damage and destruction, to correct the state of the myocardium and reduce the load on it;

Cardiovascular and anti-atherogenic action.
Numerous studies also confirm the positive effect on the cardiovascular system, which gives green tea extract. The benefits are to normalize microcirculation, increase elasticity and strengthen the walls of blood vessels, lowering cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. This result is achieved thanks to flavonoids: quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin. It is also worth noting that green tea is effective in disorders of glucose tolerance – it reduces it;

Antiviral effect.
Green tea extract is effective in preventing infection of viral diseases, in particular, such as hepatitis C during organ transplantation. Currently, major research programs are being funded to study the effect on HIV infection of polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate, which is a part of green tea extract.

Antiproliferative action.
The therapeutic effect of polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate is aimed at restoring the disturbed balance between an increase in the population of cells and their death. In addition to the above effects on the body, dry green tea extract has the following properties: a thermogenic and tonic effect strengthens tooth enamel, etc.

Green tea extract for weight loss and sport.
As many scientific experiments have shown, green tea extract has properties that allow you to regulate metabolism and slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and lipids.

This means that the calories consumed with food will be significantly reduced. Moreover, the ability to cause active weight loss and the one-time conservation of strength and energy for physical activity, that’s why green tea extract is twice as valuable.

Bodybuilding is a complicated process associated with the development and building of muscles. In order to achieve results, athletes need to select products properly. Food should be balanced and high-energy. Green tea extract is the most popular ingredient in sports nutrition – it is contained in supplements that affect the decrease in body weight and in thermogenic (fat burner).

Thermogenic effect of green tea extract is to increase heat production. Metabolism becomes more active, appetite is suppressed, water and fat begin to be removed from the body, and at the same time, the potential of energy only increases this action of green tea due to the presence in its composition of polyphenols and flavonoids.

If the expediency of taking green tea extract, on the background of physical activity, everything is clear – the extract gives a noticeable effect, is it useful in simple weight loss programs? Green tea extract helps control weight. At least due to the fact that it has a positive impact on the normalization of the activity of the gastrointestinal tract.

But in order for the result to be more pronounced, physical activity must be present. As the Israeli Institute of Technology proved, the combined effect of green tea extract and vitamin E on the background of moderate exercise, after a 12-week course, contributed to weight loss and a decrease in waist circumference to 5-10 centimeters.

Green tea extract: application
Green tea extract is widely used in traditional, folk and aesthetic medicine, as well as in cosmetology and sports nutrition. The popularity of the use of green tea extract as a component and ingredient is due to its inherent beneficial properties.

In medicine, green tea extract is used:

as prevention of pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
in complex chemotherapy and radiation therapy of cancer;
to reduce high cholesterol;
with signs of systemic cerebral circulatory disorders;
in the treatment of the respiratory tract;
in the treatment of diabetes;
as prevention of pathological conditions of the female reproductive system;
to improve metabolism and prevent premature aging;
to improve mental performance;
to restore physical strength, helping to fight fatigue;
for the prevention of periodontal disease and caries;
to restore the skin with sunburns;
to relieve eye inflammation;
in the treatment of arterial hypertension;
for the treatment of atherosclerosis;
with increased capillary permeability and fragility;
to improve the overall vitality.

Green tea for varicose veins was used in ancient China, it was part of various medicinal recipes of traditional medicine. Favorably affecting the lymph flow, green tea helps from leg edema, improves blood circulation and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. With varicose veins on the legs, the healing properties of the plant are manifested both in the treatment and in the prevention of the relapse of the disease.

In the global pharmaceutical market today there is not a single registered drug, the main components of which would be green tea extract. It is caused by the fact that registration of such a drug takes years. Over time, science discovers more and more new properties of green tea extract, and, accordingly, their high-tech studies continue. In this regard, only dietary supplements, herbal collections, etc. are based on green tea extract.