Green tea extract, body fat and antioxidant markers in adults
What it found
In 59 randomised trials in adults, green tea extract supplementation reduced body mass, BMI, body fat percentage and a marker of oxidative stress, and increased adiponectin and total antioxidant capacity.
It did not change fat mass, leptin or ghrelin.
What they found
Studies in people
Body mass
Pooled results from 38 studies showed that body mass was significantly reduced after green tea extract supplementation.
BMI
Pooled data from 46 studies showed that BMI was significantly reduced after green tea extract supplementation.
Body fat percentage
Results from 19 studies showed that body fat percentage significantly decreased after green tea extract supplementation.
Fat mass
Results from 11 studies showed that green tea extract supplementation did not alter fat mass.
Adiponectin
Pooled results from 19 studies showed that adiponectin significantly increased after green tea extract supplementation.
Oxidative stress markers
Data from 10 studies showed a significant decrease in malondialdehyde, and results from 11 studies showed a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity after green tea extract supplementation.
What the authors conclude
“Our results suggest that GTE supplementation can attenuate oxidative stress, BM, BMI and BFP, which are thought to negatively affect human health.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that green tea extract supplementation can attenuate oxidative stress, body mass, BMI and body fat percentage, which are thought to negatively affect human health.
- They also state that green tea extract as a nutraceutical dietary supplement can increase total antioxidant capacity and adiponectin.
How it was done
The authors say the existing evidence on green tea extract and body composition, oxidative stress and obesity-related hormones is inconclusive, so they aimed to carry out an up-to-date review and meta-analysis.
They searched databases up to July 2022 and included 59 randomised controlled trials with 3802 adult participants. Trials lasted from 2 to 48 weeks and used green tea extract doses from 60 to 3000 mg per day.
What it can’t tell you
- The trials included in this review were randomised, so they can show cause and effect for what was measured, but they cannot show effects on health outcomes that were not measured.
- The certainty of evidence across outcomes ranged from low to high, so some findings are less certain than others.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran; Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Iran
The paper
- Title
- The effects of green tea extract supplementation on body composition, obesity-related hormones and oxidative stress markers: a grade-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
- Type
- Systematic review and meta-analysisThe authors follow a set, published method to find every relevant study, then combine the numbers from them into one result.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Asbaghi O, Rezaei Kelishadi M, Larky DA, et al (2024). The effects of green tea extract supplementation on body composition, obesity-related hormones and oxidative stress markers: a grade-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. The British journal of nutrition. doi:10.1017/S000711452300260XFree full textPubMed 38031409DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error