Tea Catechins May Reduce Body Fat, LDL

Tea Catechins May Reduce Body Fat, LDL

TOKYOConsumption ofcatechin-rich tea may lead to a reduction in body fat and LDL (low-densitylipoprotein or bad) cholesterol, according to a study published in theJanuary edition of the American Journal of ClinicalNutrition (81, 1:122-129, 2005) (www.ajcn.org).

Researchers studied the effects of catechins on body fatreduction and the relationship between oxidized LDL and body fat variables inhealthy Japanese men. In a 12-week, double blind study, subjects were dividedinto two groups with similar body mass index (BMI) and waist circumferencedistributions and administered one bottle of oolong tea/d containing 690 mgcatechins (green tea extract group; n=17) or one bottle of oolong tea/dcontaining 22 mg catechins (control group; n=18). Body weight, BMI, waist circumference, body fat mass andsubcutaneous fat area were significantly lower in the green tea extract groupthan in the control group. Changes in LDL concentrations were positivelyassociated with changes in body fat mass and total fat area in the green teaextract group.

The authors of the study concluded daily consumption of teacontaining 690 mg catechins for 12 weeks reduced body fat, and added theingestion of catechins might be useful in the prevention and improvement oflifestyle-related diseases, mainly obesity.