Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Abstract Objective : To investigate the association between consumption of green tea and various serum markers in a Japanese population, with special reference to preventive effects of green tea against cardiovascular disease and disorders of the liver. Design : Cross sectional study. Setting : Yoshimi, Japan. Subjects : 1371 men aged over 40 years resident in Yoshimi and surveyed on their living habits including daily consumption of green tea. Their peripheral blood samples were subjected to several biochemical assays. Results : Increased consumption of green tea was associated with decreased serum concentrations of total cholesterol (P for trend <0.001) and triglyceride (P for trend=0.02) and an increased proportion of high density lipoprotein cholesterol together with a decreased proportion oflow and very low lipoprotein cholesterols (P for trend=0.02), which resulted in a decreased atherogenic index (P for trend=0.02). Moreover, increased consumption of green tea, especially more than 10 cups a day, was related to decreased concentrations of hepatological markers in serum, aspartate aminotransferase (P for trend=0.06), alanine transferase (P for trend=0.07), and ferritin (P for trend=0.02). Conclusion : The inverse association between consumption of green tea and various serum markers shows that green tea may act protectively against cardiovascular disease and disorders of the liver. Key messages Key messages This cross sectional study in Japanese men shows that increased consumption of green tea is associated with decreased serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and atherogenic index High consumption of green tea may also protect against disorders of the liver in terms of serum markers
Imai et al. (1995) studied this question.