Key result
Green tea extract combined with physical activity did not significantly decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared to placebo (SMD -0.169; 95% CI -0.414 to 0.076; p=0.177).
Why the study?
Most studies of green tea extract combined with physical activity report a preventative effect for cardiovascular disease, but findings regarding their effects on serum lipids remain controversial.
Does green tea extract combined with physical activity improve serum lipid levels in humans?
Meta-Analysis (n=608)
Does green tea extract combined with physical activity improve serum lipid levels in humans?
Standardized Mean Difference: -0.169 (95% CI -0.414–0.076)
p-value: p=0.177
Green tea extract combined with physical activity does not significantly improve lipid and lipoprotein levels in humans compared to physical activity alone.
GTE plus exercise yields no lipid benefit; challenges expectations from prior studies and supports redirecting research to non-lipid CVD pathways.
Introduction: Most studies of green tea extract (GTE) combined with physical activity have reported a preventative effect for cardiovascular disease; however, the findings regarding the effects on serum lipids are controversial. Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to examine the evidence of the effects of GTE combined with physical activity on the serum lipid content in humans. Methods: In June 2017, we conducted electronic searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library to identify pertinent studies: those with an experiment period exceeding two weeks, human randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and those that only assessed GTE with physical activity were included. A random effects model meta-analysis was used in this review. Results: A total of 271 citations were retrieved in our search of the electronic literature, and 7 RCTs, which included 608 individuals, were identified. Overall, there was no significant decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (SMD:-0.169; 95% confidence interval [CI]:-0.414 to 0.076; I2=22.7%; p=0.177) or total cholesterol (TC) levels between the GTE and placebo combined with the physical activity group. Similar results were also observed for high density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG). In the subgroup and sensitivity analyses of the five studies, the TC levels of the subjects who received a lower dose of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) together with performing physical activity were significantly decreased. Conclusion: Current evidence suggests that green tea combined with physical activity does not improve the lipid and lipoprotein levels in humans. Level of evidence I; Systematic review.
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Zhang et al. (2020) conducted a meta-analysis in Blood lipids (n=608). Green tea extract combined with physical activity vs. Placebo combined with physical activity was evaluated on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (SMD -0.169, 95% CI -0.414 to 0.076, p=0.177). Green tea extract combined with physical activity did not significantly decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared to placebo (SMD -0.169; 95% CI -0.414 to 0.076; p=0.177).
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