Green tea has been studied extensively for its potential in the weight management category, with the compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) highlighted as a key component.

Three mechanisms have been proposed: EGCG could increase energy metabolism and fatty acid oxidation; inhibit fat cell development (apidogenesis); and/or reduce lipid absorption and increase fat excretion.

It has also been reported that caffeine must also be present as, for EGCG to aid weight loss, a stimulated nervous system is needed.

The new research, performed in collaboration with scientists from Universitary Medicine Berlin, supports the link between caffeine and EGCG, but also found that the compounds produce similar effects. A daily dose of 300 mg of EGCG was associated with a 33 per cent increase in fat oxidation, while a daily dose of 200 mg caffeine was linked to a 34.5 per cent increase. When male subjects were given a combination of EGCG (300 mg) and caffeine (200 mg), fat oxidation increased by almost 50 per cent, added the researchers.

Source: NutraIngredients.com

The study suggests that smokers and nonsmokers who consume a minimum of one cup of green tea per day appear to have a nearly 13-fold and fivefold lower risk, respectively, for developing lung cancer than smokers and nonsmokers who don’t drink any green tea.

The observed protective effect seems to result from the strong “antioxidative property” of polyphenols found in green tea preparations.

Source: HealthScout

Conducted at the Virginia Commonwealth University, the study involving Protandim could lead to a new treatment for this serious condition.

Pulmonary hypertension is a health condition characterized by high blood pressure in the circulation between the heart and lungs and can result in death due to right heart failure. In this study, pulmonary hypertension was induced in the animals through a drug and by creating an oxygen-poor environment (hypoxia). Animals pre-treated with the five herbal formula in Protandim experienced strong cardioprotective effects.

The herbal formula was shown to protect the heart by increasing the expression of protective genes and by preventing the formation of scar tissue, or fibrosis, in the heart. The study showed these herbs also prevented capillary loss in the heart muscle of the animals, preserving right heart function despite the continuing stress of pressure overload. The study also indicates the death of heart cells was prevented and a significantly lowered osteopontin (OPN-1) levels by more than 50%. Osteopontin is a factor that leads to scar tissue formation, a cause of heart failure.

Source: FreshPlaza

According to Gu Linong, director of the Department of Endocrinology at Peking University People’s Hospital and a member of Herbalife Nutrition Committee, starting your day off with a cup of aloe juice, nutritious milkshake and green or black tea will give you all the essential components of a healthy breakfast. These include carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals, water and fiber.

Gu insists that the three drinks provide it all, reports Chinaview.cn.

He said: “The three cups provide enough nutrition and energy and it’s low-fat, low-calorie and low-cholesterol”.

Aloe juice is a well-known laxative, which helps eliminate toxins accumulated overnight, while the special milk shake has protein powder and milk or soybean milk, with fruit or nuts.

The study claims that this three-drink regiment is also an effective way to control weight.

Source: MedIndia

Researchers from Oregon State University and the University of Connecticut fed obese and lean mice varying degrees of a green tea extract. Among their findings:

After mice in the new study had consumed the experimental diet for six weeks, their bones were analyzed for size, mineral content and architecture. Mice that ate a diet that included green tea extract weighed less than those that did not have the extract added to their food. The difference was more pronounced among obese mice, the researchers noted.

The mineral density of the large bone in the leg, the femur, was not affected by body weight, the study found. However, consumption of green tea extract appeared to reduce femur length, volume, mineral content and cortical thickness. A similar effect was noted in lumbar vertebrae…

Previous studies have been glowing for the herb, showing that it helped to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and protects against fatty liver disease. This latest study appears in the October issue of Journal of Nutrition.

Source: HealthScout