Does green tea help in losing weight?
Green tea has several undoubted health benefits but a debate has risen around claims that it can aid weight loss.
You've probably seen the ads while surfing through late-night TV. They start off with photos of ordinary folks (read: actors) that have quite clearly been stretched sideways to add "inches" to the model's abdomen. A voice-over tells you this was "Raj, 2 months ago. He was 130 kilos and had been deserted by his wife, fired by his company and abandoned by his dog. Then Raj discovered Magic Super Slim Green Tea and now he's super fit."
Cue, a new photo showing "Raj" in the same clothes as the earlier one, except the picture has been crunched back to its original width. It's not surprising that "Raj" is never seen on video, either before or after his tryst with the Magic Super Slim green tea. New dietary research helps us understand why.
Green tea does have a powerful antioxidant called EGCG. Those selling magic "herbal" teas claim it can greatly aid in reducing weight gain. Some even say it promotes 'fat-burning'. However, the amount of EGCG you'd find in a single cup of green tea won't make a dent on your waistline. A report published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews analysed 12 studies that lasted 90 days or more. It found that regular drinkers of green tea noticed no meaningful weightloss.
Even green tea extracts, which help concentrate the EGCG content into a single pill or teaspoon of powder, don't really help your cause. Scientists studied a group of 30 relatively-healthy men who were put on similar diets. One group of men was given green tea extracts twice daily.
Another was given a placebo while a third was given a placebo for six days and real extract on day seven. However, after testing, the researchers found that consuming green tea extracts did not improve fat burning in large quantities. So does that mean green tea is useless? No. Green tea does have anti-oxidant chemicals that are known to slow down the physiological effects of ageing. What's more, a hot cup of green tea after meals will leave you feeling much better, particularly if you've eaten rich foods. So by all means continue drinking green tea. However, if you're looking to lose weight, start a diet and exercise plan.
Tired? your body may hurt more
A University of Iowa study has found a link between chronic pain, testosterone levels and fatigue. Scientists studying mice found that a protein that's linked to muscle pain works in conjunction with testosterone to protect against fatigue. The team compared muscle fatigue in male and female mice with and without the ASIC3 protein.
Male mice with the protein were less fatigued by tasks assigned than female mice. However, male mice without the protein showed similar fatigue levels to female mice. Scientists believe the differentiator is higher testosterone levels in the first set of male mice. The breakthrough could help treat a range of fatigue and pain conditions.
Cue, a new photo showing "Raj" in the same clothes as the earlier one, except the picture has been crunched back to its original width. It's not surprising that "Raj" is never seen on video, either before or after his tryst with the Magic Super Slim green tea. New dietary research helps us understand why.
Green tea does have a powerful antioxidant called EGCG. Those selling magic "herbal" teas claim it can greatly aid in reducing weight gain. Some even say it promotes 'fat-burning'. However, the amount of EGCG you'd find in a single cup of green tea won't make a dent on your waistline. A report published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews analysed 12 studies that lasted 90 days or more. It found that regular drinkers of green tea noticed no meaningful weightloss.
Even green tea extracts, which help concentrate the EGCG content into a single pill or teaspoon of powder, don't really help your cause. Scientists studied a group of 30 relatively-healthy men who were put on similar diets. One group of men was given green tea extracts twice daily.
Another was given a placebo while a third was given a placebo for six days and real extract on day seven. However, after testing, the researchers found that consuming green tea extracts did not improve fat burning in large quantities. So does that mean green tea is useless? No. Green tea does have anti-oxidant chemicals that are known to slow down the physiological effects of ageing. What's more, a hot cup of green tea after meals will leave you feeling much better, particularly if you've eaten rich foods. So by all means continue drinking green tea. However, if you're looking to lose weight, start a diet and exercise plan.
Tired? your body may hurt more
A University of Iowa study has found a link between chronic pain, testosterone levels and fatigue. Scientists studying mice found that a protein that's linked to muscle pain works in conjunction with testosterone to protect against fatigue. The team compared muscle fatigue in male and female mice with and without the ASIC3 protein.
Male mice with the protein were less fatigued by tasks assigned than female mice. However, male mice without the protein showed similar fatigue levels to female mice. Scientists believe the differentiator is higher testosterone levels in the first set of male mice. The breakthrough could help treat a range of fatigue and pain conditions.
