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Chung S. Yang Green tea, consumed widely in East Asian countries, contains caffeine and polyphenolic compounds known as catechins. The most common catechin compound in green tea is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG has been suggested as the catechin responsible for the potential health benefits experienced with long-term consumption of green tea. A team of scientists at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey with support from a NIEHS Center Grant has found that long-term treatment with EGCG reverses high-fat diet induced disorders in laboratory mice. In the study mice were fed a diet containing 60% of energy as fat for 16 weeks at which point some mice were given EGCG for another 16 weeks. Mice treated with EGCG had lower body weights, decreased insulin resistance, and lower plasma cholesterol than the untreated mice. EGCG treatment also decreased liver weight and liver triglycerides. Subsequent histological examination of liver tissue revealed decreased lipid accumulation in the liver cells of the treated mice. In another experiment, obese mice were given 4 weeks of EGCG treatment. These mice had decreased body fat and blood glucose as compared to the untreated controls. These results indicate that physiological relevant doses of EGCG treatment can mitigate the development of obesity, symptoms of metabolic syndrome, and liver fat accumulation. The researchers conclude that these effects could be mediated by decreased fat absorption, decreased inflammation or other mechanisms. Further studies need to be carried out in humans to determine whether green tea or EGCG can be used to prevent the development of obesity and its adverse health outcomes. Citation: Bose M, Lambert JD, Ju J, Reuhl KR, Shapses SA, Yang CS. The major green tea polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, inhibits obesity, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver disease in high-fat-fed mice. J Nutr. 2008 Sep;138(9):1677-83. |
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