The effect of green tea extract on cardiovascular risk factors in people with obesity Original paper

In this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, supplementation with green tea extract reduced waist circumference and improved blood lipids to a small degree in adults with overweight/obesity.

The effect of supplementation with green tea extract on anthropometric parameters (BMI and waist circumference), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and blood lipids (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or HDL) in the context of overweight/obesity.

A total of 613 adults (313 men, 300 women) with overweight/obesity.

A meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials was performed. Of the trials, 5 were conducted in China, 3 were conducted in Poland, and 1 each was conducted in the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The daily dose of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG; the main catechin in green tea) ranged from 208 mg to 857 mg. The comparator was a placebo in all of the trials. The intervention duration ranged from 6 to 16 weeks.

Supplementation with green tea extract reduced waist circumference by 1.4 cm and triglycerides by 0.18 millimoles/liter (mmol/L) and increased (improved) HDL cholesterol by 0.07 mmol/L.

The risk of bias was low in 5 trials and unclear in 6 trials.