Green Tea Supplement

Green tea has been used traditionally in China for thousands of years for its health-preserving and revitalizing power. Modern science has identified powerful antioxidants in green tea called polyphenols. One group of polyphenols called catechins is particularly potent and highly effective at neutralizing free radicals at the cellular level. Catechins support healthy cell function while providing antioxidant protection to critical cell structures such as DNA. Demonstrated to cause a thermogenic effect, catechins also enhance the body's metabolic rate.*

Tegreen 97® from Pharmanex® is a proprietary, highly concentrated extract of the catechins found in green tea. As one of the most potent antioxidant supplements on the market, Tegreen 97® has a 97% polyphenol content, 65% of which are catechins. Each Tegreen 97® capsule contains the catechin equivalent of approximately seven cups of green tea and is 99.5% caffeine free. Recent clinical studies show consuming 400 to 600 mg of catechins at one time will more effectively increase the level of catechins in the blood and increase the amount of time they stay in the body.*

The following abstract is one of many from multiple, ongoing scientific case studies on antioxidants and their relationship to our health. If you are unfamiliar with scientific studies, they are typically summarized in abstract form. Your medical doctor can further assist you in understanding any medical terminology or references contained within the following abstract.

GREEN TEA

Effect of increased tea consumption on oxidative DNA damage among smokers: a randomized controlled study.

ABSTRACT: Tea drinking has been associated with decreased occurrence of cancer and heart disease. One potential mechanism for these findings is the strong antioxidant effect of tea polyphenols. A phase II randomized controlled tea intervention trial was designed to study the effect of high consumption (4 cups/d) of decaffeinated green or black tea on oxidative DNA damage as measured by urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) among smokers over a 4-mo period. A total of 143 heavy smokers, aged 18-79 y, were randomized to drink either green or black tea or water. Levels of plasma and urinary catechins and urinary 8-OHdG were measured monthly. A total of 133 of 143 smokers completed the 4-mo intervention. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the main effects and interaction effect of green and black tea consumption on creatinine-adjusted urinary 8-OHdG, with or without adjustment for potential confounders. Plasma and urinary levels of catechins rose significantly in the green tea group compared with the other two groups. Assessment of urinary 8-OHdG after adjustment for baseline measurements and other potential confounders revealed a highly significant decrease in urinary 8-OHdG (-31%) after 4 mo of drinking decaffeinated green tea (P = 0.002). No change in urinary 8-OHdG was seen among smokers assigned to the black tea group. This data suggests that regular green tea drinking might protect smokers from oxidative damages and could reduce cancer risk or other diseases caused by free radicals associated with smoking. Mel and Enid Zuckerman Arizona College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA. ihakim@azcc.arizona.edu

AUTHOR(S): Hakim IA, Harris RB, Brown S, Chow HH, Wiseman S, Agarwal S, Talbot W.

JOURNAL: J Nutr. 2003 Oct; 133(10):3303S-3309S.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.