Green Tea Good for Blood Pressure, Cholesterol

GAINESVILLE, Fla.—Decaffeinated green tea decreased blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, oxidative stress and a marker of chronic inflammation, all independent cardiovascular risk factors in a recent study published online in Nutrition journal (DOI:10.1016/j.nut.2008.07.018).
In the randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study, 111 healthy adult volunteers, 21 to 70 years old, were administered a standardized and defined decaffeinated green tea capsule of Camellia sinensis compounds (CSC) twice a day.
After three weeks, CSC lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressures by 5 and 4 mmHg, respectively. After three months, systolic blood pressure remained significantly lower. CSC lowered serum amyloid-alpha by 42 percent and lowered malondialdehyde by 11.9 percent. In men, there were 10- and 9-mg/dL reductions in total and LDL cholesterol, respectively. In all subjects with a baseline LDL cholesterol level >99 mg/dL, there was 9 mg/dL lowering of total and LDL cholesterol. Adverse effects were mild and few and not different from placebo.