Published By: Ishani Karmakar

Attention Green Tea Addicts! Its Extract May Lead To Liver Damage

Green tea is frequently used for weight loss, however a study reveals that long-term consumption of green tea extract may cause liver damage.

For the majority of us, a day without tea is just incomplete. Some prefer to add a little of lemon, while others prefer it with milk, or some just consume it without any additional ingredients. There are several varieties and colours of tea. Many people rely on green tea to aid with weight loss. In reality, many individuals enjoy it due to its health advantages, which have grown in popularity over time. Now, according to a recent study, liver damage is one of the negative effects of green tea.

Why is green tea so well-liked?

There are black tea, oolong tea, and white tea, but green tea is the "non-fermented" kind.

According to studies, green tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a healthy beverage, and current research show that it may reduce the risk of some types of malignant diseases. In addition, it is believed to aid in the development of dental health and other physiological processes, such as body weight management, improved bone mineral density, and more.

Green tea has been added to the category of drinks with functional qualities due to the growing interest in its health advantages. Nevertheless, excess of anything may be hazardous.

Green tea disadvantages

A large amount of green tea extract may cause liver damage. However, there is evidence that a high dose of green tea extract may have considerable health advantages for individuals who can "take it safely."

The research team utilised data from the Minnesota Green Tea Trial, a huge investigation of green tea's influence on a type of malignant disease. After a year of daily consumption of 843 milligrammes of the primary antioxidant in green tea, they investigated whether persons with specific genetic variants were more likely than others to exhibit indications of liver damage. The antioxidant is epigallocatechin gallate, a catechin (EGCG).

The researchers were lead by Laura Acosta, a former PhD student who is now a graduate, and they picked two genetic variants of interest. They did so because each variant regulates the manufacture of an enzyme that degrades EGCG.

Early symptoms of liver damage were somewhat more prevalent than expected among female participants with one single variation in the COMT, also known as catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype.

After nine months of green tea supplementation, the enzyme that suggests liver stress increased by roughly 80 percent on average in women with a high-risk UGT1A4 genotype. The same enzyme increased by up to 30% in those with genes associated with reduced risk.

However, experts emphasised that the danger of liver damage is solely associated with large dosages of green tea supplements, not with lower doses of green tea extract or even green tea consumption.