Green tea reduces fatty liver, body mass in mouse study

[Guest guest]

Study shows lower markers of liver damage and reduced body mass in

mice given green tea extract:

++++++++++++++++++++

link:

http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=82687 & m=1NIE122 & c=lqeudkujayvvlpc

text:

Green tea shows benefits against fatty liver

By ls

22/01/2008- Extracts from green tea may stop the build-up of fatty

deposits in the liver, and offer benefits for this silent killer

linked to obesity, suggests a new study with mice.

If the results can be translated to humans, green tea and its extracts

could become a useful preventative in the development of fatty liver,

a condition that is usually symptomless but said to increase the risk

for liver inflammation, and ultimately results in liver failure.

Fatty liver is reportedly on the rise in the US, with between one

quarter and one half of Americans, and the prevalence if nonalcoholic

fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased in line with the ongoing

obesity epidemic, state the researchers in the Journal of Nutrition.

Bruno and colleagues from the University of Connecticut used

genetically-obese mice (ob/ob) and, using lean mice as a comparison,

fed them a diet containing zero, one, or two per cent green tea

extract (GTE) for six weeks.

At the end of the study, the researchers report that the obese mice

fed the GTE-supplemented diets had 23 to 25 per cent less body than

the obese mice fed the non-supplemented diet. Moreover, the lean mice

fed the GTE-supplemented diets had 11 to 20 per cent less body than

their lean counterpart on the non-supplemented diet.

Measurements of the blood enzymes alanine aminotransferase and

aspartate aminotransferase, used as markers of liver damage, showed

that GTE-supplementation was associated with 30 to 41 per cent and 22

to 33 per cent lower activities, respectively.

It is also noted that no significant differences were observed in food

intake between lean and obese animals in any group, a result that

suggested the extract worked by decreasing intestinal fat absorption

or altering liver fat metabolism.

" Nearly 40 million Americans are afflicted with this silent and tragic

disease. Weight loss is the primary recommendation for those with

fatty liver disease. Since this is difficult for most people, we hope

that our continued studies on green tea will lead to the understanding

of its protective properties and to what extent green tea protects

humans from this disease, " said Bruno.

" Further study is underway to define the events by which GTE protects

against obesity-triggered NAFLD, " concluded the researchers.

Green tea is a rich source of catechins, compounds suggested to play a

beneficial role in reducing the risk of various diseases, including

Alzheimer's, certain cancers, cardiovascular and oral health, with

some, namely epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), now emerging as

particularly powerful.

Green tea contains between 30 and 40 per cent of water-extractable

polyphenols, while black tea (green tea that has been oxidized by

fermentation) contains between 3 and 10 per cent. Oolong tea is

semi-fermented tea and is somewhere between green and black tea.

The four primary polyphenols found in fresh tealeaves are

epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin, epicatechin

gallate, and epicatechin.

Previous in vitro and in vivo studies reported that high-purity EGCG

could help with weight loss, and three mechanisms were proposed: EGCG

could increase energy metabolism and fatty acid oxidation; inhibit fat

cell development (apidogenesis); and/or reduce lipid absorption and

increase fat excretion.

Source: Journal of Nutrition

February 2008, Volume 138, Pages 323-331

" Green tea extract protects leptin-deficient, spontaneously obese mice

from hepatic steatosis and injury "

Authors: R.S. Bruno, C.E. Dugan, J.A. Smyth, D.A. DiNatale, S.I. Koo