Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Green tea has shown a promising ability to reduce weight and improve glucose sensitivity in obese mice, according to a promising recent study.
This drink is known as an ancient drink full of antioxidants.
The results highlight the therapeutic potential of green tea as a complementary agent in combating obesity and metabolic diseases in humans.
In the experiment, researchers led by Rosemary Otton of the University of Cruzeiro do Sul in São Paulo, Brazil, fed mice a high-calorie diet that mimicked the Western diet for 4 weeks.
The mice then underwent a green tea experiment for 12 weeks.
Some animals received standardized tea extract at a dose of 500 mg per kilogram of body weight via tube feeding to ensure dose accuracy.
This is equivalent to about 3 cups per day for humans.
The study showed a significant reduction in the weight of obese mice, while maintaining the diameter of muscle fibers and preventing obesity-related muscular dystrophy.
Green tea also increased gene expression of genes associated with glucose metabolism.
It restored the activity of the LDH enzyme necessary for glucose metabolism in muscles.
The study confirmed that green tea works selectively against excess fat without affecting the weight of thin animals.
It also benefits from the synergy of its active compounds, making the complete extract more effective than single compounds.
The results showed that the protein adiponectin, which is produced from fat cells and has anti-inflammatory and metabolic-regulating functions, plays a major role in the mechanism of action of green tea, as no effect was shown in mice genetically disabled for adiponectin.
Despite promising results in mice, researchers point out that determining the appropriate dose for humans requires further studies.
Especially with the difference in quality of tea extracts.
“The best solution is chronic consumption, as in Asian countries, where people drink green tea daily and obesity rates remain low,” Otton explains.
The researcher concludes by saying: Green tea, with its flavonoid-rich compounds, has important therapeutic potential.
It also supports the idea of using natural and safe treatments as an effective supplement to combat obesity.
