Is Green Tea safe?

Introduction

Green tea, derived from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, is widely consumed globally and is often touted for its potential health benefits. However, concerns about its safety, particularly regarding hepatotoxicity, have been raised. This synthesis aims to evaluate the safety of green tea consumption based on findings from multiple research studies.

Key Insights

Hepatotoxicity Concerns:
- High doses of green tea extracts, especially in concentrated forms or taken on an empty stomach, have been associated with liver damage .
- Safe intake levels have been suggested: up to 338 mg EGCG/day for solid bolus doses and 704 mg EGCG/day for beverage forms .
General Safety of Traditional Consumption:
- Green tea infusions and beverages, when consumed in traditional ways, are generally considered safe and not associated with significant liver damage .
- Historical and habitual consumption of green tea in moderate amounts is deemed safe.
Cancer and Cardiometabolic Benefits:
- Green tea consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers (e.g., breast, prostate, and some digestive tract cancers) and cardiovascular diseases .
- No significant adverse effects related to cancer have been reported, although high doses may pose risks .
Mortality and Chronic Disease:
- Green tea consumption is inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, particularly among non-smokers.
- No significant association was found between green tea intake and cancer mortality.

Conclusion

Green tea, when consumed in traditional forms and moderate amounts, is generally safe and may offer health benefits, including reduced risks of certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases. However, high doses of green tea extracts, particularly in concentrated forms, can pose risks of liver damage. It is advisable to adhere to recommended intake levels to avoid potential adverse effects.

Is Green Tea safe?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Safety of Green Tea Extracts

Green tea extracts in dietary supplements are safe when used and formulated appropriately, with caution statements in labeling, and USP can develop monographs for them.

The safety of green tea and green tea extract consumption in adults – Results of a systematic review

Green tea and green tea extract consumption is safe for adults, with hepatotoxicity as the critical effect, and a safe intake level of 338 mg EGCG/day for solid bolus doses and 704 mg EGCG/day for beverage form.

Scientific opinion on the safety of green tea catechins

Green tea catechins are generally considered safe, but excessive intake of EGCG in food supplements may cause a significant increase in serum transaminases.

Safety assessment of green tea based beverages and dried green tea extracts as nutritional supplements.

Green tea-based beverages and extracts are considered safe for human consumption, with a tolerable upper intake level of 300mg EGCG/person/day for food supplements.

Green tea and cancer and cardiometabolic diseases: a review of the current epidemiological evidence

Green tea consumption may be beneficial for human health, with a majority of meta-analyses showing an inverse association with certain cancers and a generally positive association with cardiovascular disease and blood pressure outcomes.

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) for the prevention of cancer.

Green tea consumption may have limited cancer-preventative effects, with contradictory results for digestive tract cancer incidence and other cancers.

Green tea consumption and breast cancer risk or recurrence: a meta-analysis

Increased green tea consumption may be inversely associated with breast cancer recurrence risk, but the association between green tea consumption and breast cancer incidence remains unclear.

Drinking green tea modestly reduces breast cancer risk.

Regular green tea consumption may slightly reduce the risk of breast cancer, with premenopausal women showing a dose-response relationship with the amount of tea consumed per month.

Green tea and risk of breast cancer in Asian Americans

Green tea consumption significantly reduces breast cancer risk in Asian-American women, with soy intake also showing a protective effect.

Green tea consumption and cause-specific mortality: Results from two prospective cohort studies in China

Green tea consumption may be inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults, particularly among never smokers.

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