Benefits Beyond Cholesterol Reduction With Black Tea Extract
Metabolic Syndrome and Type II Diabetes are becoming epidemic.
With rates of metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes becoming epidemic, despite the best of intentions regarding healthy diet and exercise, extra help can be welcome.
Metabolic Syndrome is characterized by increased blood pressure and inflammation, high triglycerides, and elevated LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. It can lead to and/or occur with type 2 diabetes. In general, what happens is that as a person exposes themselves to constant excesses of energy, (particularly poor quality, low nutrient foods), the hormones insulin and leptin, among others, stop working as well as the body becomes resistant to their messages. Then, even though insulin and leptin levels may be high, we stop storing and metabolizing excess energy properly. Levels of fats and cholesterol in the blood stream increase, and the liver converts excess blood sugar to triglycerides. Also, more fat gets stored around the organs, (called “visceral” fat), instead of our peripheral tissues like the buttocks and legs. As a result a person’s mid-section starts to bulge. At the same time, blood pressure and inflammation increase, and metabolism slows down, as the ability to transport energy into our cells, and “burn” it drops.
What are Black and Green Tea Extracts? And how can they help?
Substances that can work synergistically to offset such effects are concentrated extracts from Black and Green tea, as well as those from Citrus.
Both Black and Green tea are rich in beneficial compounds called polyphenols. Black tea contains a polyphenol called “theaflavins” shown in humans to lower cholesterol. [1,2] Yet some studies have shown no effect. [3]
Green tea, on the other hand contains what are called “catechins”, the most valuable being EGCG, (epigallo-catechin-gallate), very highly researched and shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and blood pressure lowering effects, as well as having a boosting effect on metabolism and burning of excess energy and fat stores. [4,5] Green tea has also been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol. [6] Yet when concentrated extracts of black tea theaflavins, and green tea catechins are combined, the effects are synergistic. [7] Not only do you get enhanced reductions in total and LDL cholesterol, you simply handle excess calorie intake more constructively, storing less fat around your organs, and burning more calories to produce heat and energy. [5,7]
The benefits of Citrus Extract explained.
This synergy between Black and Green teas can be further enhanced with a third type of polyphenol, i.e flavonoids from citrus extracts. More specifically, with standardized extracts of what are called polymethoxylated flavones, or PMFs. Not only have extracts of PMFs been shown to have positive effects on metabolic syndrome, a patented citrus and tocotrienol extract called Sytrinol has been shown in a human trials over a period of 4 to 12 weeks to lower triglycerides levels by as much as 34%, total cholesterol by up to 30%, and LDL cholesterol up to 27%. [8,9,10]
Based on the above, combining theaflavins and catechins from black and green tea extracts with PMFs and tocotrienols from Sytrinol TM will not only support healthy blood cholesterol and lipid levels, but will also exert an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant effect, which protects these fats from oxidizing in your blood vessels and becoming sticky. These ingredients can have a positive effect on Metabolic Syndrome, as well as a thermogenic effect, promoting healthier storage and metabolism of excess energy from food or fat stores. [11,12]
With the link between statin drug use and diabetes becoming ever more apparent, many may opt for a natural supplement that will take you in the opposite direction, without a host of unwanted side effects. Talk with one of our Health Consultants - we're happy to help you find a solution suited for you!
Be Well,
John
References:
- Davies MJ, Judd JT, Baer DJ, et al. Black tea consumption reduces total and LDL cholesterol in mildly hypercholesterolemic adults. J Nutr 2003;133:3298S-3302S. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14519829
- Vermeer, M, Mulder, TPJ, Molhuizen HOF. Theaflavins from black tea, especially theaflavin-3-gallate, reduce the incorporation of cholesterol into mixed micelles. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Published on-line, December 2008. DOI:10.1021/jf8022035
- http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672%2814%2901146-0/fulltext
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2855614/
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19932867
- http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/94/2/601.full
- Maron DJ, Lu GP, Cai NS, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effect of a theaflavin-enriched green tea extract. Arch Intern Med 2003;163:1448-53. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12824094
- http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/24649112
- https://tahomaclinic.com/Private/Articles2/Tocotrienols/Roza%202007%20-%20Effect%20of%20citrus%20flavonoids%20and%20tocotrienols%20on%20serum%20cholesterol.pdf
- http://www.healthyimmunity.com/pdfs/Sytrinol-Monograph.PDF
- http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/35687.pdf
- http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v24/n2/full/0801101a.html