Part II
Based on our original research, we received feedback from readers with a different viewpoint.
Some of the comments that were received are…
“I take one Green Tea Pill a day and I feel great!”
“GTE has helped with weight loss, so I don’t care what you say, this is GOOD for me.”
“It’s not fair for you to say that all green tea supplements are bad.”
And yes, there are more, but let’s address these issues for now.
I take one Green Tea Pill a Day and Feel Great
Alright… This is possible. There are very different doses of GTE that are out there, and many of them offer a dose that is safe if consumed properly and in limited quantities. The problem that many people have is that they start to see whatever result it is that they want from a pill, and they begin to overconsume GTE in a manner that over-concentrates the EGCG within the body, which is potentially harmful, as stated previously.
The other point that was mentioned was to take these supplements in accordance with the specific instructions that are posted on the package. In most cases, these instructions tell you to take the supplement with at least 8 ounces of water and/or to take these supplements with food. Often times, exceeding one of these pills with most brands is getting into the “danger zone” for consumption of EGCG and other known catechins. Like anything else, the difference between this being a medicine (word used loosely) and a poison is in the dosage consumed.
Basically, here is the thing: if you are taking one of these pills per day while following all of the directions provided on the package, and it is a high-quality brand supplement, then you lower the risks. But nutritionists will always argue, that obtaining nutrients through food, or in this case, through tea, is better than supplements.
GTE has helped with weight loss, so I don’t care what you say, this is GOOD for me
This is an argument that could be presented, and, in fact, has been presented.
While this makes sense to someone who is finally experiencing weight loss that they may have been struggling with, there are plenty of reasons that results that produce weight loss might not be healthy.
After all, we know that starvation is not healthy, yet this will definitely result in weight loss. The same can be said for smoking (nicotine helps with weight loss), over-exercising, and following the most recent “fad” diet. All of these will allow weight to come off of the body, but the end result is a body that is in poor health and is more likely to regain more weight at a later time.
The same can be said for GTE. If you are taking these supplements and seeing weight loss, then there is definitely a possibility that there is one of several things going on.
The first thing that can happen is that you drop too much weight too quickly. Generally, dropping greater than 1-2 pounds a week (there are exceptions) creates metabolic and biochemical changes within the body that make it harder to keep this weight off. In fact, this can result in an increased chance of putting more weight back on later.
It is also possible that your body will become addicted to the GTE, which means that the moment you stop taking the supplement, the process of weight loss begins to revert. This is a common problem that people experience with metabolic enhancers and fat burners. While this has yet to be demonstrated with the GTE supplement, the possibility should not be discounted.
If you want to experience real and healthy weight loss, I will not say that a proper regiment of GTE is necessarily bad, but it needs to be coupled with proper dietary changes and exercise to complete long lasting and safe results.
It’s not fair for you to say that all green tea supplements are bad
This could be considered a fair point. There are a number of factors that should be considered when GTE is being consumed. You really need to know where it is coming from, how it is processed, and you need to make sure that the dosage that is recommended is within the prescribed guidelines. If you can’t find out where it comes from, how it is processed, and if the company is unethical enough to want you to overconsume so they can make a buck, then it is a bad product (or at the very least a bad company).
While calling all GTE unsafe might appear as unfair, the fact is that the EGCG content and catechin count is what is thought to be responsible for the results that are generated from these supplements. When you take GTE you are eliminating the built-in safety mechanisms that come with consuming the green tea naturally, which could be harmful if used improperly. In the end, whether all of these supplements are “bad” or not may depend upon proper use, but there is mounting evidence that actual green tea consumption is still the better option.
The Conclusion…
It is possible that, in the future, science will determine that these supplements are safe. It is also possible that all of the information that has been provided is proven to be incorrect. However, at the present time drinking green tea is the more natural and healthier way to receive high concentrations of EGCG in your diet.
While not a medical journal, Consumer Reports magazine recently had a big article on the dangers of supplements. In it, they listed the top 10 supplements to avoid, and lo and behold Green Tea Extract was listed as one of them. As always, do your research.
I think you make a reasonable point. The healthiest way to get the EGCG is through drinking green tea. I personally drink 4-6 cups a day because I love the taste and I drink it to keep my hydration up instead of water. I just can’t swallow 8 glasses of water a day. We must always remember that tea is plant and plants are medicine. We must consume them with respect.