Q: I keep seeing TikToks calling green tea “nature’s Ozempic.” It’s true?
Green tea has been talked about as a dietary hack for centuries: in ancient China, 2,000 years ago, this drink was promoted as a weight loss tool. In modern times, the drink has been a staple of diet books and meal plans.
Now, green tea has followed the inevitable trajectory of any weight-loss hack: It’s becoming popular on TikTok. Viral videos claim that the drink helps you lose pounds, even calling it “nature’s Ozempic.” Some messages suggest drinking up to five cups a day.
Although there have been some studies on green tea and weight, it’s unclear whether one cup (or several) can shed pounds, said Jyotsna Ghosh, an obesity doctor at Johns Hopkins University.
The relationship between green tea and hunger hormones
Many of the TikTok videos claim that green tea increases the production of GLP-1, a gut hormone that causes the pancreas to release insulin after eating. That insulin, in turn, lowers blood sugar. GLP-1 also slows the rate at which food leaves the stomach and affects areas of the brain that regulate hunger.
Ozempic and similar drugs release a compound that mimics GLP-1, making people feel full more quickly. Many stop experiencing strong cravings for food.
Some researchers have theorized that green tea might stimulate GLP-1, in part because studies have found that green tea extract can lower blood sugar in diabetic mice. But only a few studies have been done in humans and the results are inconclusive. One of the few clinical trials on the topic, which looked at 92 people with type 2 diabetes, suggested there was no notable difference in GLP-1 production between people who took green tea extract and those who took a pill. placebo.
Experts said any effect green tea might have on GLP-1 would likely be small. Any food or drink can slightly increase GLP-1 levels, Ghosh said. But GLP-1 levels in the bloodstream drop within minutes after eating or drinking something; This is one of the reasons why we feel hungry again and why temporarily increasing the hormone does not guarantee weight loss.
In contrast, Ozempic and similar medications remain in the body for days and are much more potent than the natural hormone, making them especially good at suppressing appetite.
Does green tea help you lose weight?
Many of the claims about green tea and weight loss mention two components of the drink: caffeine and antioxidants.
In theory, caffeine could slightly speed up your metabolism. But that effect is unlikely to directly translate into substantial weight loss, Ghosh said.
Green tea also contains compounds called polyphenols, antioxidants that can help protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation. Studies in animals and human cells have suggested that these compounds could improve metabolism and reduce fat absorption by the intestine. But human trials have had mixed results.
There have also been several small studies that directly look at whether green tea is linked to weight loss. One review article, which analyzed more than a dozen such randomized controlled trials, found that people taking green tea extract often lost a small amount of weight that is “not likely to be clinically important.” Other studies have also found that people who consumed green tea tended to lose a small amount of weight, usually less than 2 kilograms.
People who turn to green tea to lose weight “can’t expect a big effect, and certainly nothing like medications like Ozempic,” said Rob van Dam, professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the School of Public Health. Milken Institute at George Washington University.
Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, added that focusing on a single food or drink ignored the many other factors involved in weight loss. These include overall diet, exercise habits, genetics, stress, metabolic health, and even sleep quality.
“If your goal is to lose weight, look at how you can improve your lifestyle,” he said. “Not just specifically a food, drug, supplement, whatever.”
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