With more people at risk of developing non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH),
here is more scientific support for green tea supplementation
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic progressive liver disease closely associated with metabolic syndrome and obesity, conditions that have reached epidemic levels. Left untreated, NASH patients appear to have a higher than average likelihood of developing cirrhosis. Now results of a double blind, placebo-controlled human clinical study published in the Journal of Functional Foods reveal that adding green tea catechins to conventional diet and exercise therapy may improve NASH patients’ prognosis by helping to decrease fat accumulation and body mass index, lowering inflammation and improving blood chemistries.
Researchers at Japan’s Aichi Medical University’s Department of International Medicine enrolled 38 adult NASH patients in this study. Half received 600 mg of Sunphenon green tea catechins for six months, while the other half received a placebo. All study participants received similar dietary and exercise therapy.
After six months, those who received the Sunphenon green tea catechins experienced statistically significant decreases in body weight (4.3 percent), body mass index (5.1 percent) and waist circumference (2.5 percent). In addition, those in the green tea catechin group had total cholesterol levels closer to normal range than the placebo group; likewise their arteriosclerosis risk – calculated using the total cholesterol and HDL-C levels – was lower than the control group. Fat accumulation in the liver, liver inflammation and blood sugar levels were similarly improved in the green tea catechin group. No side effects were observed from Sunphenon green tea catechin supplementation.
Researchers noted: “Although the conventional method of controlled diet and physical exercise is very important for the general public, it is rather difficult to continue it effectively due to busy lifestyles, unhealthy eating and irregular exercise.” They suggested that supplementing with green tea catechins may be a simple and affordable option for NASH patients, adding that further investigation is warranted to discover the mechanisms responsible for green tea catechins’ antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics.
Additional research on the health benefits of Sunphenon and green tea catechins can be found at www.Sunphenon.com.
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