Green and black tea extracts have been found to lower cholesterol in humans for the first time, scientists claim. A recent study in China showed a capsule containing the extracts, enriched with other tea antioxidants, could reduce cholesterol by 16% on average.
Previous experiments have demonstrated the cholesterol-reducing effects of tea on animals but not on humans, according to the study’s author Dr David Maron. During the 12-week trial, 240 men and women with high cholesterol in China were randomly chosen to receive either one tea capsule or placebo daily.
Each capsule contained 75mg of theaflavins (black tea extracts), 150mg of catechins (green tea extracts) and 150mg of other tea antioxidants called polyphenols – the equivalent of 35 cups of high-quality black tea and seven cups of green tea.
All participants were already on low fat diets. Dr Maron, of Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Nashville, Tennessee, said he was very surprised at the results, published in today’s issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. He said: I expected, if anything, a very slight cholesterol-lowering effect. But what we saw was a 16% reduction in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
But Dr Maron said he recommended further testing of the product to determine its long-term safety, effective dosing range, and impact when taken with a cholesterol-lowering drug. He added: Although the results are exciting we do not want people to take the extract in place of their medications
