What is green tea extract good for?
Green tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world, and its many health benefits have been known for centuries. Green tea extract is its concentrated form, and one single capsule of green tea extract can contain the same amount of active ingredients as a whole cup of green tea.
Green tea is known to be especially rich in antioxidants, in particular catechins, which reduce oxidative stress in your body by protecting cells from being damaged by free radicals. It is this cell damage that is associated with so many chronic diseases.
Benefits for cardiovascular health
For example, oxidative stress increases fat buildup in your blood, which in turn promotes inflammation in your arteries, which in turn results in high blood pressure, which in turn can result in a number of health conditions, and potentially resulting in heart failure. The antioxidants in green tea extract decrease this inflammation by inhibiting the cell's ability to absorb fat, therefore helping reduce blood pressure.
Benefits for cell function
The antioxidants in green tea extract also seem to have favorable effects on the balance between cell production and cell death, a critical process that helps to ensure that dysfunctional cells are promptly removed and replaced with new healthy cells as soon as possible. Cancers and tumors can occur when this balance is disrupted, specifically when dysfunctional cells don't die when they should.
Several studies have found that green tea extract supplementation significantly reduces the risk of developing cancer through this mechanism.
Role in weight loss
Research is also looking into the benefits of green tea extract for weight loss. Both catechins and caffeine have been demonstrated to aid in weight loss by regulating the hormones that assist in burning calories, and many weight loss products incorporate green tea extract as a key ingredient.
When should I take green tea extract?
Green tea extract is recommended to be taken with a meal, as taking it on an empty stomach could result in a variety of side effects. Also, as it naturally contains caffeine, taking green tea extract earlier in the day will minimize the possibility of any disturbances to your sleep cycle.
For these two reasons, I'd recommend taking it with your breakfast.
What does green tea extract combine well with?
Green tea is known to be beneficial for mental health, and research shows that this can be enhanced even further with certain combinations.
Green tea extract with L-theanine for cognitive health
When combined with L-theanine, green tea extract has been found to improve both memory and attention span in people that suffer from mild cognitive impairment.
L-theanine is also found naturally in green tea, in low amounts, so supplementing both is thought to have an enhanced effect.
Green tea extract with B vitamins, magnesium and rhodiola
A combination of green tea extract with magnesium, rhodiola extract and B vitamins was also found to increase brain activity and attention span in individuals that were subjected to stressful conditions while performing cognitive tasks.
What should I avoid taking green tea extract with?
Avoid with iron
Some of the antioxidants found in green tea are known to bind to iron, which means that taking green tea extract together with iron supplements will reduce the absorption and benefits of both.
To avoid this, take green tea extract and iron supplements separately, at least three hours apart.
Avoid with blood-thinning medication
Some compounds in green tea extract are known to slow blood clotting, and could increase the effect of any blood-thinning medications, so they are advised to be taken separately.
Green Tea Extract data sources & further reading
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-green-tea-extract
- https://www.elo.health/articles/green-tea-extract-supplements/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21303262/
- https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/green-tea
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9355406/
- https://www.medicinenet.com/what_vitamins_should_not_be_taken_together/article.htm
Last updated by Asklepios on 30th January, 2025