These green tea and cholesterol effects can promote cardiovascular and digestive health via their effect on the heart, circulatory system, and the liver.

What Are These Green Tea Cholesterol Effects?

Green tea lowers 'bad' (LDL) cholesterol, and total cholesterol.

But it also raises 'good' (HDL) cholesterol. This has been demonstrated in both animal studies and studies on people. In one study, which was population-based, those men who drank green tea had lower total cholesterol than those who didn't. And another study found that green tea reduced the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood, significantly. This was done in a study of male smokers.

Scientists believe green tea does this by increasing the excretion of cholesterol in the feces. Certainly, in one study done on people who were given a fatty meal (chips), those who were given green tea with it had more fat excreted in their feces than those who didn't. And in another study, done with a green tea extract of the catechins, showed that when participants were given a fatty meal and a moderate dose of green tea catechins, they had a reduction in blood fat levels of 15.1%. When given a high dose, they had a 28.7% reduction. This clearly shows that the effects of green tea on cholesterol are an important part of green tea's health benefits.

Green tea reduces the conversion (oxidation) of LDL into compounds that create plaque in our arteries.

Cholesterol comes in two types - LDL and HDL. LDL cholesterol oxidizes very easily, and when it does, it gets sticky and adheres to the walls of our arteries. There it can build up, creating blockages, and increasing your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Reducing cholesterol levels is one of the strategies in dealing with cardiovascular problems. Green tea does this a number of ways.

Green tea blocks the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines by up to 89%

Green tea's excretion of cholesterol in the feces is done by increasing its' elimination in bile.

The liver excretes some waste products through bile, which are then able to be eliminated in the feces.

Green tea protects your liver from the effects of high cholesterol.

A diet high in cholesterol, or a lifestyle (like alcoholism) that leads to high cholesterol, causes a build-up of fats in the liver (fatty liver). In most people, this won't produce any symptoms, but in severe cases it leads to inflammation and scar tissue in the liver. Either way, it is not good.

Symptoms of fatty liver can include fatigue, weight loss, abdominal discomfort, weakness and confusion. In those people who are overweight, fatty liver is very common, particularly once they reach the age of 30.

Because toxins like pesticides and insecticides are fat soluble, a fatty liver also means there is an increased likelihood of these toxins, as well as drug metabolites and waste products, being stored in your liver. In terms of digestion, an over-burdened, fatty liver will burn (excrete) fat less effectively. As we have seen one of the green tea cholesterol benefits is that it reverses this problem.

A fatty liver can impact on a person's ability to lose weight as well.

Green Tea And The Heart

The EGCG in green tea inhibits the production of abnormal blood clots.

Abnormal blood clots can cause strokes and heart attacks.

Green tea reduces the level of stress hormones in the body.

Stress can cause problems for the cardiovascular system

The green tea cholesterol benefits are entwined in many ways with its' benefits for weight loss and digestion, as cholesterol and fat metabolism are very much a part of those issues as well. But the green tea and cholesterol benefits show that this wonder tea is very useful even for those who don't want to lose weight.

If you find the taste of green tea too astringent, or you just don't drink tea, there are many green tea supplements that deliver all these benefits. Look for one that is a standardized extract, like this one.

References:

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4. http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/PPI/UnconventionalTherapies/GreenTea.htm

5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15946418?dopt=Abstract

6. greentealibrary.com/Green%20Tea-Cholesterol%20Studies.htm

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