Therapeutic usage of natural herbal supplements is rapidly growing. One of these supplements is a Green tea–Caffeine mixture (epigallocatechin gallate plus caffeine). This mixture is claimed to increased thermogenesis and fat oxidation which may help you get peeled faster [1-3].
A green tea-caffeine mixture contains caffeine that may stimulate thermogenesis and fat oxidation through inhibition of phosphodiesterase.[1] Dulloo et al. [3] showed that the effect of a green tea-caffeine mixture was greater than could be attributed to its caffeine content. They noted that: “Green tea extract may play a role in the control of body composition via sympathetic activation of thermogenesis, fat oxidation, or both.”[3]
Margriet S. and colleagues [4] hypothesized that a green tea-caffeine mixture would reduce body weight regain in humans after weight loss, possibly through a thermogenic effect. They divided seventy-six subjects into either habitual low caffeine consumers (n = 38; caffeine consumption < 300 mg/d) or habitual high caffeine consumers (n = 38; caffeine consumption > 300 mg/d). Habitual caffeine intake was sustained during the study. All subjects followed a very low energy diet (VLED) for 4 weeks to lose weight. High caffeine intake groups lost significantly more weight than the low caffeine intake groups.
During weight maintenance period, the subjects received a green tea-caffeine mixture (270 mg epigallocatechin gallate + 150 mg caffeine per day) or placebo. Surprisingly, in the low caffeine intake group who consumed the green tea-caffeine mixture, body weight maintenance after body weight loss was considerably greater. In fact, green tea still reduced body weight in the low caffeine consumers during weight maintenance.[4]
What is interesting (as seen in pic below) is that high caffeine group which also ingested green tea-caffeine mixture in the weight maintenance phase regained weight faster than all other groups.
Pic. – BMI of men (n = 23) and women (n = 53) over time. Month 1: after the VLED; month 4: after 3-month follow-up; CL, habitual low caffeine intake; CH, habitual high caffeine intake; GT, green tea during follow-up; P, placebo during follow-up.
Margriet S. and colleagues [4] explained that : “The high caffeine intake group had become nonresponders to the green tea-caffeine mixture, probably because of a ceiling effect.”
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References
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Dulloo, A. G., J. Seydoux, and L. Girardier. “Potentiation of the thermogenic antiobesity effects of ephedrine by dietary methylxanthines: adenosine antagonism or phosphodiesterase inhibition?.” Metabolism 41.11 (1992): 1233-1241.
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Dulloo, A. G., et al. “Normal caffeine consumption: influence on thermogenesis and daily energy expenditure in lean and postobese human volunteers.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 49.1 (1989): 44-50.
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Dulloo, Abdul G., et al. “Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 70.6 (1999): 1040-1045.
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WesterterpPlantenga, Margriet S., Manuela PGM Lejeune, and Eva MR Kovacs. “Body weight loss and weight maintenance in relation to habitual caffeine intake and green tea supplementation.” Obesity research 13.7 (2012): 1195-1204.
