Green tea alone has more than 26,000 articles available on PubMed describing the phytochemical content and its health promoting properties for those with diabetes, weight loss, stroke and more.
What makes green tea even more interesting is that next to water tea (Camellia sinensis) is the most consumed beverage in the world.
One area of research that has been of interest for green tea has been in the area of inflammation and acne.
Recently in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine a clinical trial tested the role of green tea in preventing acne.
Here are the details of the clinical trial testing green tea for acne:
– 118 human subjects were enrolled with women
– The age of the women was 25 to 45 years old
– Patients received either green tea decaffeinated or a placebo product
– A capsule was taken 30 minutes before meals three times daily for 4 weeks
Each capsule contained the following polyphenols:
| Components | % in Weight | Daily dose (mg) | Per capsule (mg) |
| EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) | 57.12 | 856.8 | 285.6 |
| ECG (Epicatechin gallate) | 15.74 | 236.1 | 78.7 |
| EGC (Epigallocatechin) | 7.70 | 115.5 | 38.5 |
| EC (Epicatechin) | 4.80 | 71.9 | 24 |
| GCG (Gallocatechin gallate) | 4.25 | 63.7 | 21.25 |
| GC (Gallocatechin) | <0.07 | <1.05 | <0.3 |
| Caffeine | <0.07 | <1.05 | <0.3 |
Here are the results of green tested in women with acne
– No major adverse events were reported
– Over 4 weeks changes in liver enzymes were not reported.
– Total Cholesterol decreased from 174 to 163 after 4 weeks with green tea
– Acne Lesion counts decreased with green tea on the forehead, cheek, perioral area, and chin. *These were evaluated to be statistically significant over the 4 week period.
Here are the main highlights listed by the authors who performed the clinical trial
– Epigallocatechin-3-gallate improves acne in humans.
– We examine the effects of a decaffeinated green tea extract (GTE) upon women with post-adolescent acne.
– Oral GTE resulted in significant reductions in lesions located on the nose, perioral area and chin.EGCG may be a good candidate for treating women with post-adolescent acne.
Take away message:
Green tea extract can also be used by applying topically to the skin and should be tested in the future for reducing acne. Another benefit of green tea that was identified in the study was the role of it in reducing total cholesterol in just 30 days. Green tea may represent one more strategy for those trying to control acne symptoms and acne breakouts. Also, don’t forget there more health benefits that could be helpful for those at risk of diabetes, stroke, and more.
Reference:
Does supplementation with green tea extract improve acne in post-adolescent women? A randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2016; 25: pages 159-63.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Antioxidant, Cholesterol, Clinical Trials, Inflammation, Skin