Regular green tea intake improves cardiometabolic risk factors

Drinking green tea regularly, or consumption of its bioactive constituents as supplements, appears to have a positive effect on certain cardiometabolic risk factors, including weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipids, a study has found. However, these benefits depend on the amount and frequency of consumption, health status, and lifestyle.

Researchers performed an umbrella review and meta meta-analysis of previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses that aimed to establish the effects of green tea intake on anthropometric measures, blood pressure, as well as blood glucose and lipids. They searched multiple online databases and identified 13 meta-analyses for inclusion in the synthesis.

Pooled data revealed that green tea intake yielded significant effects on weight (weighted mean difference [WMD], –0.89, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], –1.43 to –0.34; p<0.001) and waist circumference (WMD, –1.01, 95 percent CI, –1.63 to –0.39; p<0.001), as well as systolic (WMD, –1.17, 95 percent CI, –2.18 to –0.16) and diastolic blood pressure (WMD, –1.24, 95 percent CI, –2.07 to –0.40).

Green tea also showed a lowering effect on fasting blood glucose (WMD, –1.3, 95 percent CI, –2.09 to –0.51; p<0.001) but not on other glycaemic indicators. In addition, there were marked beneficial effects seen for total cholesterol (WMD, –4.93, 95 percent CI, –6.41 to –3.46; p<0.001) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD, –4.31, 95 percent CI, –6.55 to –2.07; p<0.001).

The observed beneficial effects of green tea intake might be influenced by several factors, such as the amount and frequency of consumption, the individual’s health/disease condition, and lifestyle including dietary habits and physical activity.