\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/h3>\nGREEN TEA<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\n\n| What is it?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| <\/td>\n | Green tea is a product made from the Camellia sinensis plant. It can be prepared as a beverage, which can have some health effects. Or an \u201cextract\u201d can be made from the leaves to use as medicine.Green tea is used to improve mental alertness and thinking.It is also used for weight loss and to treat stomach disorders, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, bone loss (osteoporosis), and solid tumor cancers.Some people use green tea to prevent various cancers, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, solid tumor cancers and skin cancer related to exposure to sunlight. Some women use green tea to fight human papilloma virus (HPV), which can cause genital warts, the growth of abnormal cells in the cervix (cervical dysplasia), and cervical cancer.Green tea is also used for Crohn\u2019s disease, Parkinson\u2019s disease, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, diabetes, low blood pressure, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), dental cavities (caries), kidney stones, and skin damage.Instead of drinking green tea, some people apply green tea bags to their skin to soothe sunburn and prevent skin cancer due to sun exposure. Green tea bags are also used to decrease puffiness under the eyes, as a compress for tired eyes or headache, and to stop gums from bleeding after a tooth is pulled.Green tea in candy is used for gum disease.Green tea is used in an ointment for genital warts. Do not confuse green tea with oolong tea or black tea. Oolong tea and black tea are made from the same plant leaves used to make green tea, but they are prepared differently and have different medicinal effects. Green tea is not fermented at all. Oolong tea is partially fermented, and black tea is fully fermented.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| Is it Effective?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| <\/td>\n | Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database<\/em>\u00a0rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale:\u00a0Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate<\/em>.The effectiveness ratings for\u00a0GREEN TEA<\/strong>\u00a0are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\nLikely Effective for…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Genital warts<\/strong>. A specific green tea extract ointment (Veregen, Bradley Pharmaceuticals) is FDA-approved for treating genital warts.<\/li>\n
- Increasing mental alertness, due to the caffeine content of green tea<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\nPossibly Effective for…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Preventing dizziness upon standing up (orthostatic hypotension) in older people<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Preventing bladder, esophageal, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers<\/strong>. Women who regularly drink tea, including green tea or black tea, appear to have a significantly lower risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to women who never or seldom drink tea. In one study, women who drank 2 or more cups of green tea each day had a 46% lower risk of getting ovarian cancer than women who didn\u2019t drink green tea.<\/li>\n
- Reducing the risk or delaying the onset of Parkinson\u2019s disease<\/strong>. Drinking one to four cups of green tea daily seems to provide the most protection against developing Parkinson\u2019s.<\/li>\n
- Low blood pressure<\/strong>. Green tea might help in elderly people who have low blood pressure after eating.<\/li>\n
- Decreasing high levels of fat, like cholesterol and triglycerides, in the blood (hyperlipidemia)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Reducing abnormal development and growth of cells of the cervix (cervical dysplasia) caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) infection<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\nPossibly Ineffective for…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Preventing colon cancer<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\nInsufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Weight loss<\/strong>. Taking a specific green tea extract (EGCG) seems to help moderately overweight people lose weight. But green tea doesn\u2019t help people keep the weight off.<\/li>\n
- High blood pressure<\/strong>. Some research shows that drinking green tea regularly seems to lower the chance of getting high blood pressure. But not all research agrees.<\/li>\n
- Stroke prevention<\/strong>. According to a large study done in Japan, drinking 3 cups of green tea per day seems to significantly lower the risk of having a stroke, compared to drinking one cup or no tea. Women seem to benefit more than men.<\/li>\n
- Weak bones (osteoporosis)<\/strong>. Population research suggests that drinking green tea for 10 years is associated with stronger bones.<\/li>\n
- Type 2 diabetes<\/strong>. Drinking green tea may help prevent diabetes. Research suggests that Japanese adults who drink 6 or more cups per day of green tea have a 33% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who drink one cup per day or less. This is especially true for women.<\/li>\n
- Breast cancer<\/strong>. Green tea does not seem to prevent breast cancer in Asian populations. However, in Asian-American populations, some evidence suggests that drinking green tea might reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Most research on green tea for breast cancer has been in Asian populations. The effect of green tea on breast cancer risk in Western populations is less clear.<\/li>\n
- Gum disease (gingivitis)<\/strong>. Chewing candy that contains green tea extract seems to control plaque build-up on the teeth and reduce gum swelling.<\/li>\n
- Prostate cancer<\/strong>. Chinese men who drink more green tea seem to have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. The more tea they drink, the more their risk drops.<\/li>\n
- Diarrhea<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Heart disease prevention<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Kidney stones<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Lung cancer<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Stomach cancer<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Skin cancer<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Dental cavities<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Cervical cancer<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Gastric cancer<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Leukemia<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Other conditions<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
More evidence is needed to rate green tea for these uses.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n| How does it work?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| <\/td>\n | The useful parts of green tea are the leaf bud, leaf, and stem. Green tea is not fermented and is produced by steaming fresh leaves at high temperatures. During this process, it is able to maintain important molecules called polyphenols, which seem to be responsible for many of the benefits of green tea.Polyphenols might be able to prevent inflammation and swelling, protect cartilage between the bones, and lessen joint degeneration. They also seem to be able to fight human papilloma virus (HPV) infections and reduce the growth of abnormal cells in the cervix (cervical dysplasia). Research cannot yet explain how this works.Green tea contains 2% to 4% caffeine, which affects thinking and alertness, increases urine output, and may improve the function of brain messengers important in Parkinson\u2019s disease. Caffeine is thought to stimulate the nervous system, heart, and muscles by increasing the release of certain chemicals in the brain called \u201cneurotransmitters.\u201dAntioxidants and other substances in green tea might help protect the heart and blood vessels.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| Are there safety concerns?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| <\/td>\n | Green tea is\u00a0LIKELY SAFE<\/strong>\u00a0for most adults. Green tea extract is\u00a0POSSIBLY SAFE<\/strong>\u00a0for most people for short-term use. In some people, green tea can cause stomach upset and constipation. Green tea extracts have been reported to cause liver problems in rare cases.Too much green tea \u2014 more than five cups per day, for example \u2014 is\u00a0POSSIBLY UNSAFE<\/strong>. It can cause side effects because of the caffeine. These side effects can range from mild to serious and include headache, nervousness, sleep problems, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, irregular heartbeat, tremor, heartburn, dizziness, ringing in the ears, convulsions, and confusion. Green tea seems to reduce the absorption of iron from food. Drinking very high doses of green tea can actually be fatal. The fatal dose of caffeine in green tea is estimated to be 10-14 grams (150-200 mg per kilogram). Serious toxicity can occur at lower doses.Caffeine is\u00a0POSSIBLY SAFE<\/strong>\u00a0in children in amounts commonly found in foods.Green tea interacts with many medications, as explained below.<\/p>\nSpecial Precautions & Warnings:<\/h4>\nPregnancy and breast-feeding<\/strong>: If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, green tea in small amounts is\u00a0POSSIBLY SAFE<\/strong>. Do not drink more than 2 cups a day of green tea. This amount of tea provides about 200 mg of caffeine. Consuming more than this amount has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and other negative effects. Caffeine passes into breast milk and can affect a nursing infant. Don\u2019t drink an excessive amount of green tea if you are breast-feeding.<\/p>\n\u201cTired blood\u201d (anemia)<\/strong>: Drinking green tea may make anemia worse.<\/p>\nAnxiety disorders<\/strong>: The caffeine in green tea might make anxiety worse.<\/p>\nBleeding disorders<\/strong>: Caffeine might increase the risk of bleeding. Don\u2019t drink green tea if you have a bleeding disorder.<\/p>\nHeart conditions<\/strong>: Caffeine in green tea might cause irregular heartbeat.<\/p>\nDiabetes<\/strong>: Caffeine might affect blood sugar control. If you drink green tea and have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar carefully.<\/p>\nDiarrhea<\/strong>. Green tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in green tea, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea.<\/p>\nIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS)<\/strong>: Green tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in green tea, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea and might worsen symptoms of IBS.<\/p>\nGlaucoma<\/strong>: Drinking green tea increases pressure inside the eye. The increase occurs within 30 minutes and lasts for at least 90 minutes.<\/p>\nHigh blood pressure<\/strong>: The caffeine in green tea might increase blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. However, this does not seem to occur in people who regularly drink green tea or other products that contain caffeine.<\/p>\nLiver disease<\/strong>: Green tea extract supplements have been linked to several cases of liver damage. Green tea extracts might make liver disease worse.<\/p>\nWeak bones (osteoporosis)<\/strong>: Drinking green tea can increase the amount of calcium that is flushed out in the urine. Caffeine should be limited to less than 300 mg per day (approximately 2-3 cups of green tea). It is possible to make up for some calcium loss caused by caffeine by taking calcium supplements.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Are there any interactions with medications?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| <\/td>\n | \n\n\n\n\nAdenosine (Adenocard)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nGreen tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in green tea might block the effects of adenosine (Adenocard). Adenosine (Adenocard) is often used by doctors to do a test on the heart, called a cardiac stress test. Stop consuming green tea or other caffeine-containing products at least 24 hours before a cardiac stress test.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nAlcohol<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Minor<\/strong>\u00a0Be watchful with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThe body breaks down the caffeine in green tea to get rid of it. Alcohol can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking green tea along with alcohol might cause too much caffeine in the bloodstream and caffeine side effects including jitteriness, headache, and fast heartbeat.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nAmphetamines<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Major<\/strong>\u00a0Do not take this combination.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nStimulant drugs such as amphetamines speed up the nervous system. By speeding up the nervous system, stimulant medications can make you feel jittery and increase your heart rate. The caffeine in green tea might also speed up the nervous system. Taking green tea along with stimulant drugs might cause serious problems including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Avoid taking stimulant drugs along with caffeine.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nAntibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThe body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Some antibiotics might decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking these antibiotics along with green tea can increase the risk of side effects including jitteriness, headache, increased heart rate, and other side effects.<\/p>\n Some antibiotics that decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), trovafloxacin (Trovan), and grepafloxacin (Raxar).<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nBirth control pills (Contraceptive drugs)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThe body breaks down the caffeine in green tea to get rid of it. Birth control pills can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking green tea along with birth control pills can cause jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and other side effects.<\/p>\n Some birth control pills include ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel (Triphasil), ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone (Ortho-Novum 1\/35, Ortho-Novum 7\/7\/7), and others.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nBortezomib (Velcade)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nBortezomib (Velcade) is used in certain types of cancers. Green tea might interact with bortezomib (Velcade) and decrease its effectiveness for treating certain types of cancer. If you take bortezomib (Velcade) avoid taking green tea products.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nCimetidine (Tagamet)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nGreen tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Cimetidine (Tagamet) can decrease how quickly your body breaks down caffeine. Taking cimetidine (Tagamet) along with green tea might increase the chance of caffeine side effects including jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and others.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nClozapine (Clozaril)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThe body breaks down clozapine (Clozaril) to get rid of it. The caffeine in green tea seems to decrease how quickly the body breaks down clozapine (Clozaril). Taking green tea along with clozapine (Clozaril) can increase the effects and side effects of clozapine (Clozaril).<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nCocaine<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Major<\/strong>\u00a0Do not take this combination.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nStimulant drugs such as cocaine speed up the nervous system. By speeding up the nervous system, stimulant medications can make you feel jittery and increase your heart rate. The caffeine in green tea might also speed up the nervous system. Taking green tea along with stimulant drugs might cause serious problems including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Avoid taking stimulant drugs along with caffeine.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nDipyridamole (Persantine)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nGreen tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in green tea might block the affects of dipyridamole (Persantine). Dipyridamole (Persantine) is often used by doctors to do a test on the heart called a cardiac stress test. Stop drinking green tea or other caffeine-containing products at least 24 hours before a cardiac stress test.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nDisulfiram (Antabuse)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThe body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Disulfiram (Antabuse) can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Taking green tea (which contains caffeine) along with disulfiram (Antabuse) might increase the effects and side effects of caffeine, including jitteriness, hyperactivity, irritability, and others.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nEphedrine<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Major<\/strong>\u00a0Do not take this combination.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nStimulant drugs speed up the nervous system. Caffeine (contained in green tea) and ephedrine are both stimulant drugs. Taking green tea along with ephedrine might cause too much stimulation and sometimes serious side effects and heart problems. Do not take caffeine-containing products and ephedrine at the same time.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nEstrogens<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThe body breaks down the caffeine in green tea to get rid of it. Estrogens can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking estrogen pills and drinking green tea can cause jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and other side effects. If you take estrogen pills, limit your caffeine intake.<\/p>\n Some estrogen pills include conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin), ethinyl estradiol, estradiol, and others.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nFluconazole (Diflucan)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Minor<\/strong>\u00a0Be watchful with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nGreen tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Fluconazole (Diflucan) might decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine and cause caffeine to stay in the body too long. Taking fluconazole (Diflucan) along with green tea might increase the risk of side effects such as nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nFluvoxamine (Luvox)<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThe body breaks down the caffeine in green tea to get rid of it. Fluvoxamine (Luvox) can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking green tea along with fluvoxamine (Luvox) might cause too much caffeine in the body, and increase the effects and side effects of caffeine.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\nLithium<\/h4>\nInteraction Rating =\u00a0Moderate<\/strong>\u00a0Be cautious with this combination.
\nTalk with your health provider.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nYour body naturally gets rid of lithium. The caffeine in green tea can increase how quickly your body gets rid of lithium. If you take products that contain caffeine and you take lithium, stop taking caffeine products slowly. Stopping caffeine too quickly can increase the side effects of lithium.<\/p>\n | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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: at least 200 mg (I routinely use 650+ mg)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n![\"Natural](\"http:\/\/naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com\/images\/nd\/puhdr_logo.gif\"){kind=logo}
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