Green Tea - Does It Help You Lose Weight?

Green Tea, scientifically known as camellia sinensis, is a very popular ingredient in over-the-counter weight loss supplements and alternative nutrition therapies.

But, does it really offer benefits in terms of increased health and body fat reduction?

Let's take an objective look.

Results from green tea studies in Asian countries have shown protective qualities associated with the reduction of risk factors linked to cardiovascular disease. Research also shows that it can possibly have positive influences on cholesterol profiles. As for weight control, green tea appears to modestly offer, at best, a complimentary aid when it comes to decreasing body weight or maintaining a loss when used in conjunction with a calorie-reduced diet, or moderate-intensity exercise. In exercise-based research, green tea catechins may enhance exercise-induced loss of abdominal fat, a result that warrants further investigation for confirmation.

That being said, research can be polar in nature with other study results pointing towards very little to no fat reduction, weight loss, or maintenance of weight lost associated with green tea extract usage.
Therefore, caution must be exercised when coming to conclusions about its true benefits on body composition.

That's the good news.

One of the attractive selling points of green tea is that it is a natural substance. But, in that distinction there is also a glaring red flag: the word "natural" conveys the impression that anything with that characteristic must automatically be healthy. As such, users may be in danger of underestimating the serious health implications that might be tied in with the natural product. Because many dietary herbal supplements and health products that carry the "natural" label, they are brought to market without having to conform to strict regulatory testing. There-in lies the problem for the consumer searching for a real natural supplement that fits in with a healthy lifestyle.

A review of the scientific literature reveals that, although rare, there have been multiple cases of adverse events like hepatotoxicities associated with green tea consumption, evidence from which a causality case can be made. In addition, these effects can be apparent for the tea alone, or its usage in conjunction with other natural products or medications. As such, usage should be discussed with a health professional to be on the safe side.

Coupled with the notion that natural is automatically healthy, there is also the unfounded logic that more is better. In that respect, an individual looking to accelerate body fat reduction may be highly tempted to consume greater quantities of a weight loss aid like green tea, more than what would be considered normal. The message to retain is that it is vitally important to take into consideration that too much of anything, even if it is natural, might not always be a good thing.

In addition, these types of products are marketed as dietary supplements, which means they are generally used for self-medication purposes, a practice that can increase the risk of adverse effects simply because they are out of the realm of government agency oversight, industry regulation, and medical control.
In the end, while there might be positive health benefits from green tea usage, inconsistent research results on its fat-metabolizing potential make it such that green tea appears to be in a grey zone when it comes to the results it is supposed to offer, thus makes it more of a speculative herbal approach designed to aid in fat reduction.

Daniel Eamer is a professional personal trainer, author, speaker, and fitness blogger. He is the author of two books: The Fat Burner Secrets and The Muscle Builder Secrets. Visit Dan's website at http://www.danieleamer.com to download the first two chapters of his eBooks for free.

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Disclaimer: This article is written as a source of information only and should by no means be considered a substitute for the advice of a qualified medical professional. Scientific references for this article can be viewed on Dan's blog page. Daniel Eamer is not affiliated with or sponsored by any supplement company and does not endorse any supplement product or brand.

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