Green Tea Extract

Unlike black and oolong tea, green tea is not fermented. This means that the active ingredients remain unaltered in the herb. Green tea contains numerous cancer-fighting polyphenol compounds, including antioxidant flavonoid catechins.*

A Japanese study, published in 2001, revealed that green tea induced the death of lymphome cells by apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Other research supports the theory that compounds in green tea protect against cancer by triggering a series of reactions that causes cancer cells to self-destruct.*

Green tea is also thought to boost cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the tendency of blood platlets to stick together. It may work as a weight-loss agent by increasing fat metabolism and regulating blood sugar and insulin levels.*

The evidence for green tea's potent antioxidant effects continues to accumulate. In a recent study, researchers found that green tea compounds not only directly scavenge free radicals but also enhance the effectiveness of the body's natural antioxidant systems. Research conducted at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), revealed that two chemicals found in green tea called gallotannin and nobotanin B may help to prevent the brain damage that occurs after strokes and other brain injuries. Results of their study showed that the two chemicals prevent brain cell death by inhibiting the action of the enzyme PARG (poly-ADP-ribose glycohydrolase), which is thought to play a key role in the destruction of brain cells that occurs after a stroke. More recent research suggests that antioxidants present in green tea may slow down the muscle wasting seen in muscular dystrophy.