2. How common is Green Tea
use?
Raise your hand if you have ever drank a
beverage or taken pills that contained
green tea.
It is more common than you think. The
facts about the benefits and risks
associated with this herb is not openly
shared with the public through product
advertisements (NCCAM, 2005).
3. History of Green Tea
Green tea and its extract EGCG have
been known to be used to fight against
breast, stomach and skin cancer. They
also were used for alertness, to lower
cholesterol level, weight loss, and to
protect the skin against sun damage
(NCCAM, 2005).
4. Facts
Green tea is produced by the Camellia
Sinensis plant. Its leaves are essentially
steamed before they are dried, in order to
produce the product.
Green tea is found to be safe for adults if
taken in moderate amounts (NCCAM, 2005).
The caffeine content of green tea is 8-30
mg/per cup. To put it into perspective, an
average cup of coffee has 100-135 mg of
caffeine (Time for Tea, 2004). Two to three
cups a day is the recommended amount
(University of Maryland Medical Center, 2011).
5. Green Tea in regards to
Science
Certain laboratory results suggest that the
use of green tea may protect completely
against or slow the growth of different
kinds of cancer in animals. For humans in
the study, the results were mixed.
Studies have found that the use of green
tea can aid in an increase in mental
alertness. This is most likely due to the
caffeine content (NCCAM, 2005).
6. Green Tea in regards to
Science Cont’d
Green tea contains flavonoids which are plant derived
compounds that happen to be antioxidants.
Antioxidants neutralize the specific activity of free
radicals (unstable molecules), which have been known
to damage DNA.
Green tea is the best food source of specific flavonoids
called catechins that prevent oxidative damage to
cells. They also have other disease fighting properties
that are being studied. In order to get the full benefits,
green tea must be consumed as freshly brewed.
Decaffeinated, instant teas, or bottle substitutes do not
have the same benefits (Time for Tea, 2004).
Laboratory experiments on animals and humans have
also found that green tea positively impacts:
inflammatory bowel syndrome, diabetes (regulates
glucose), liver disease, dental cavities, arthritis, genital
warts, and prevents cold and flu symptoms (University of
Maryland Medical Center, 2011).
7. Green Tea in regards to
Science Cont’d
Green tea also contains
theobromine, theophylline, along with
caffeine. These alkaloids help produce the
stimulant effect.
There are dried leaf and liquid extracts that
are in capsule form. There are many dietary
supplements that come in this form. Many of
them are not FDA approved due to the
extracts being modified to have a more
powerful affect (higher doses of caffeine for
example) (University of Maryland Medical
Center, 2011).
8. Positives of Green Tea
Green tea blocks the oxidation of LDL
cholesterol (the bad kind) and increases
HDL cholesterol (the good kind). It
improves overall artery function. Scientific
studies that had these findings, supported
the claims that green tea improves
cardiovascular health by reducing the risk
of heart disease and hypertension (Time
for Tea, 2004).
9. Negatives of Green Tea
There are known cases of individuals with liver
disorders or problems that took concentrated
extracts of green tea.
Green tea and the extracts are known to contain
caffeine which could cause: irritability, insomnia,
anxiety, upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, and
frequent urination. This occurs if taken in large
amounts or if the consumer is prone to these
symptoms (NCCAM, 2005).
When green tea is taken in large amounts it can
interfere with blood clotting and interact with
blood thinners (University of Maryland Medical
Center, 2011).
10. Resources
°The National Center for Complementary
and Alternative Medicine
http://nccam.nih.gov/health
°The World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/en/
°The United States Department of
Agriculture
http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/
°PubMed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?&ori
g_db=PubMed&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilt
er_Subsets=Complementary%20Medicine
11. Any Questions?
Hopefully you have…
Obtained knowledge on the proper
use, side effects, and scientific knowledge
of green tea.
If you have any questions you may contact
me at Mercy Medical Center or email me
(found on the handout).
12. References
NCCAM. National Institutes of
Health, National Center for
Complementary and Alternative
Medicine. (2005). Green tea. Retrieved
from website:
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/greentea
Time for tea. (2004). Harvard Women's
Health Watch, 12(2), 7.
University of Maryland Medical Center.
(2011). Green tea. (University of Maryland
Medical Center) Retrieved from
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/gre
en-tea-000255.htm
Editor's Notes
I would give each audience member a hand out that would have additional resources and my contact information on it.
I would ask the audience members the question and raise my hand as well.
I would frequently ask if the audience had any questions. If I did not have the answer I would refer them to resources that would.
Pubmed is a government supported website that is useful for finding published scientific studies.
