Green tea minimally affects biomarkers of inflammation in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 206 - 213
• Main Authors: Basu, Arpita, Ph.D., R.D, Du, Mei, B.S, Sanchez, Karah, M.S., R.D, Leyva, Misti J., M.S., R.D, Betts, Nancy M., Ph.D., R.D, Blevins, Steve, M.D, Wu, Mingyuan, M.D., Ph.D, Aston, Christopher E., Ph.D, Lyons, Timothy J., M.D., F.R.C.P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.02.2011; [New York]: Elsevier Science Inc; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adiponectin; Adult; amyloid alpha; anti-inflammatory activity; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; biomarkers; Biomarkers - analysis; blood chemistry; blood plasma; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; Camellia sinensis; Camellia sinensis - chemistry; Cardiovascular Diseases - drug therapy; Catechin - analogs & derivatives; Catechin - pharmacology; Cholesterol; Diet; dietary supplements; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Green tea; Humans; Inflammation; Inflammation - drug therapy; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - blood; Interleukin-1beta - blood; Interleukin-6 - blood; Male; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - drug therapy; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity - drug therapy; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Polyphenols; randomized clinical trials; Rodents; Serum amyloid A; Single-Blind Method; Tea; Tea - chemistry; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 - blood; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Serum amyloid A; Inflammation; Metabolic syndrome; Green tea; Endocrinopathy; Human; Obesity; Nutrition disorder; Biological marker; Metabolic diseases; Cardiovascular disease; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Serum; Amyloid; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2010.01.015

Abstract Objective Green tea ( Camellia sinensis ) has shown to exert cardioprotective benefits in observational studies. The objective of this clinical trial was to assess the effects of green tea on features of metabolic syndrome and inflammation in obese subjects. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome. Thirty-five subjects [(mean ± SE) age 42.5 ± 1.7 y, body mass index 36.1 ± 1.3 kg/m2 ] completed the 8-wk study and were randomly assigned to receive green tea (4 cups/d), green tea extract (2 capsules and 4 cups water/d), or no treatment (4 cups water/d). Both the beverage and extract groups had similar dosing of epigallocatechin-3-gallate, the active green tea polyphenol. Fasting blood samples were collected at screening, 4 and 8 wk of the study. Results Green tea beverage or extract supplementation did not significantly alter features of metabolic syndrome or biomarkers of inflammation including adiponectin, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, leptin, or leptin:adiponectin ratio. However, both green tea beverage and extracts significantly reduced plasma serum amyloid alpha versus no treatment ( P < 0.005). Conclusion This study suggests that the daily consumption of green tea beverage or extracts for 8 wk was well tolerated but did not affect the features of metabolic syndrome. However, green tea significantly reduced plasma serum amyloid alpha, an independent cardiovascular disease risk factor, in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome.