Top 8 Best Green Tea Extract Supplements (2026)
Bodybeginner

Top 8 Best Green Tea Extract Supplements (2026)

▸ The ranked list

8 picks — ranked by our 50/50 methodology

  1. #1
    Best overall
    NOW Foods EGCg Green Tea Extract 400 mg, 180 veg capsules — from Amazon listing

    NOW Foods EGCg Green Tea Extract 400 mg

    NOW Foods · 400 mg extract, ~200 mg EGCG, 80% total catechins per veg capsule, 180 ct
    SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
    • EGCG standardization & dose35%8.8
    • Purity & third-party testing30%9.2
    • Safety & caffeine clarity20%9.2
    • Value (cost per active mg)15%8.8

    A non-GMO-verified, well-tested extract delivering ~200 mg of EGCG with low caffeine per capsule, and a fully honest label. The sane, easy-to-dose default — taken with food.

    Strong value — trusted brand, 180-count
    Low cost per active mg (180 ct, 1 cap/day)
    EGCG per serving
    ~200 mg EGCG (1 cap; 400 mg extract @ 50% EGCG, 80% catechins)
    Caffeine
    Low — up to ~4 mg per capsule (naturally occurring)
    Size
    180 veg capsules (180 servings)
    Quality
    Non-GMO Project Verified, GMP, vegan, soy-free
    Pros
    • NOW's respected QC: Non-GMO Project Verified, GMP, vegan — at a fair price
    • Honest, complete label — EGCG mg, catechin %, and caffeine all disclosed
    • ~200 mg EGCG per cap with very low caffeine — a sane dose that's easy to take safely with food
    • 180-count bottle makes the cost per active mg genuinely low
    Cons
    • ~200 mg EGCG is a moderate (not maximal) dose — by design, the safer choice
    • Single, simple capsule — no decaf-vs-caffeinated choice within this SKU

    Our take — If you want one green tea extract and you want it to be the safe, sensible choice, NOW's EGCg 400 mg is it. You get ~200 mg of EGCG with very low caffeine per capsule — a well-studied, easy-to-dose amount — from a brand whose Non-GMO-verified, GMP-backed QC is among the most trusted in the category, and the label honestly states the EGCG, catechin %, and caffeine so you can dose safely. It's not the highest-EGCG capsule here, and that's deliberate: a moderate dose taken with food is exactly the profile that keeps the rare liver risk rare. As an honest fat-loss adjunct on top of a calorie deficit — with caffeine and around training — it's the best-made, safest-to-dose option, which is why it's #1.

  2. #2
    Best lightly caffeinated
    Life Extension Lightly Caffeinated Mega Green Tea Extract, 100 vegetarian capsules — from Amazon listing

    Life Extension Mega Green Tea Extract (Lightly Caffeinated)

    Life Extension · 725 mg extract, 98% polyphenols / 45% EGCG (~285 mg EGCG), ~25 mg caffeine, 100 ct
    SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
    • EGCG standardization & dose35%9.0
    • Purity & third-party testing30%9.0
    • Safety & caffeine clarity20%9.0
    • Value (cost per active mg)15%7.8

    A 98%/45%-standardized 725 mg extract (~285 mg EGCG) with caffeine clearly stated and a fully decaffeinated version available. The pick when controlling caffeine is the priority.

    Premium — premium QC, decaf option
    Higher per active mg (100 ct, 1 cap/day)
    EGCG per serving
    ~285 mg EGCG (1 cap; 725 mg extract @ 98% polyphenols / 45% EGCG)
    Caffeine
    ~25 mg per capsule (a decaffeinated version is sold separately)
    Size
    100 vegetarian capsules (100 servings)
    Quality
    Non-GMO, made in USA, established premium-brand QC
    Pros
    • Strong standardization — 725 mg extract at 98% polyphenols / 45% EGCG (~285 mg EGCG)
    • Caffeine is clearly stated (~25 mg), and a fully decaffeinated SKU exists for sensitive users
    • Life Extension's QC reputation is among the most respected in supplements
    • Lightly-caffeinated dose pairs the catechin effect with a small caffeine synergy
    Cons
    • Premium price — among the higher cost-per-active-mg picks
    • 100-count bottle is a smaller supply than the value extracts

    Our take — Life Extension's Mega Green Tea Extract is the pick for anyone who wants to control caffeine without giving up a well-standardized dose. The lightly-caffeinated version delivers ~285 mg of EGCG with about 25 mg of caffeine — enough for the catechin-plus-caffeine synergy without coffee-level stimulation — and crucially, a fully decaffeinated SKU exists for sensitive users or late-day dosing. The standardization (98% polyphenols / 45% EGCG) and the brand's QC pedigree are excellent. It sits at #2 only on value: it's a premium price in a smaller 100-count bottle. Take it with food, pick caffeinated or decaf to match your tolerance, and it's an outstanding, honest choice.

  3. #3
    Highest standardization
    Nature's Wellness Green Tea Extract 98% standardized with EGCG capsules — from Amazon listing

    Nature's Wellness Green Tea Extract 98% Standardized (EGCG)

    Nature's Wellness Market · 1000 mg extract, 98% standardized / 45% EGCG (~450 mg EGCG), third-party tested
    SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
    • EGCG standardization & dose35%8.8
    • Purity & third-party testing30%8.4
    • Safety & caffeine clarity20%8.0
    • Value (cost per active mg)15%8.8

    The highest standardized EGCG per capsule here — 98% standardized, ~450 mg EGCG — third-party lab tested. The max-EGCG pick, with an honest 'take with food, don't double up' caveat.

    High EGCG per dollar (smaller brand)
    Good cost per active mg (high EGCG/cap)
    EGCG per serving
    ~450 mg EGCG (1 cap; 1000 mg extract @ 98% std / 45% EGCG)
    Caffeine
    Naturally occurring — read the label; single-cap bolus
    Size
    Capsule bottle (multi-month supply)
    Quality
    Third-party lab tested, made in a GMP-compliant facility
    Pros
    • Highest standardization on the list — 98% standardized, ~450 mg EGCG per capsule
    • Third-party lab tested for purity and potency in a GMP facility
    • High EGCG per dollar — a lot of active compound per capsule
    • Single capsule hits a full studied EGCG dose with no stacking needed
    Cons
    • ~450 mg EGCG in one capsule is a high bolus — take with food and don't add a second cap
    • Smaller brand — testing transparency is good but not at NOW/Life Extension's tier

    Our take — Nature's Wellness is the pick for someone who specifically wants the maximum standardized EGCG per capsule. At 98% standardization and ~450 mg of EGCG in a single cap, it delivers the most active compound here, it's third-party lab tested, and the cost per active mg is strong. The honest trade-offs are exactly why it ranks #3 rather than #1: a ~450 mg single-capsule bolus is the high end of a sensible daily EGCG intake, so it MUST be taken with food and you should not stack a second high-EGCG capsule on top of it — that's the dosing pattern the liver-safety reviews warn about. And as a smaller brand, its testing transparency, while solid, doesn't match the category leaders. Dose it sensibly and it's a strong, high-potency choice.

  4. #4
    Best with caffeine stated
    Zhou Green Tea Extract Capsules with EGCG, 120 capsules — from Amazon listing

    Zhou Green Tea Extract with EGCG

    Zhou Nutrition · 500 mg extract, 50% EGCG (~250 mg EGCG), 95% polyphenols, ~15 mg caffeine, 120 ct
    SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
    • EGCG standardization & dose35%8.4
    • Purity & third-party testing30%8.4
    • Safety & caffeine clarity20%8.4
    • Value (cost per active mg)15%8.2

    A clean, popular 500 mg extract delivering ~250 mg EGCG with caffeine clearly stated (~15 mg) and l-theanine context. A well-balanced, transparent mid-list pick.

    Fair value — 120-count, popular brand
    Solid cost per active mg (120 ct)
    EGCG per serving
    ~250 mg EGCG (1 cap; 500 mg extract @ 50% EGCG, 95% polyphenols)
    Caffeine
    ~15 mg per capsule (clearly stated)
    Size
    120 veggie capsules (120 servings)
    Quality
    Non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free
    Pros
    • ~250 mg EGCG per capsule at 50% EGCG / 95% polyphenols — a sensible, well-standardized dose
    • Caffeine clearly stated (~15 mg) — easy to factor into your daily total
    • Non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, from a popular and widely-reviewed brand
    • 120-count bottle at a fair price — good cost per active mg
    Cons
    • Brand QC is good but not at the NOW / Life Extension tier
    • Marketing leans on energy/metabolism claims — keep expectations honest

    Our take — Zhou's Green Tea Extract is a clean, transparent, well-balanced mid-list pick. You get ~250 mg of EGCG per capsule at a solid 50% EGCG / 95% polyphenol standardization, the caffeine is clearly stated at about 15 mg, and the label is non-GMO, vegan and gluten-free — all from a popular brand with lots of real reviews. It lands at #4 because its QC pedigree, while good, isn't quite at the level of the category leaders, and the marketing leans harder on energy and metabolism than the modest evidence warrants. Take it with food, count the small caffeine dose, and it's a sensible, fairly-priced extract that does exactly what it says.

  5. #5
    Best standardized value
    NutraBio Green Tea Extract Capsules, 500 mg, 90 count — from Amazon listing

    NutraBio Green Tea Extract 500 mg

    NutraBio · 500 mg extract, 95% polyphenols / 75% catechins / 45% EGCG (~225 mg EGCG), 90 ct
    SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
    • EGCG standardization & dose35%8.2
    • Purity & third-party testing30%8.4
    • Safety & caffeine clarity20%8.0
    • Value (cost per active mg)15%8.2

    A cleanly-standardized 500 mg extract (~225 mg EGCG) from a brand known for transparent, no-proprietary-blend labeling. An honest, well-made mid-list option.

    Fair value — transparent-label brand
    Solid cost per active mg (90 ct)
    EGCG per serving
    ~225 mg EGCG (1 cap; 500 mg extract @ 45% EGCG, 95% polyphenols, 75% catechins)
    Caffeine
    Naturally occurring — read the label
    Size
    90 capsules (90 servings)
    Quality
    NutraBio's full-disclosure labeling, made in USA, GMP
    Pros
    • Clean standardization — 95% polyphenols / 75% catechins / 45% EGCG (~225 mg EGCG)
    • NutraBio is known for transparent, no-proprietary-blend labels — you see exactly what's in it
    • Sensible ~225 mg EGCG dose — easy to take safely with food
    • Made in the USA in a GMP facility
    Cons
    • 90-count bottle is a smaller supply than the value leaders
    • Caffeine is naturally occurring rather than explicitly headlined — check the label

    Our take — NutraBio's Green Tea Extract is an honest, well-made mid-list pick from a brand that built its reputation on full-disclosure labeling. The standardization is clean (95% polyphenols / 75% catechins / 45% EGCG, about 225 mg of EGCG per capsule), the dose is sensible and easy to take safely with food, and the made-in-USA GMP production is reassuring. It ranks #5 mainly on supply and reach — the 90-count bottle is smaller than the value leaders, and the caffeine is naturally-occurring rather than spotlighted on the front label. If you value a transparent label and a sane EGCG dose over a big bottle, it's an easy, trustworthy choice.

  6. #6
    Best gentle / water-extracted
    Jarrow Formulas Green Tea 500 mg, 100 capsules — from Amazon listing

    Jarrow Formulas Green Tea 500 mg

    Jarrow Formulas · 500 mg water-extracted green tea, 50% polyphenols / 30% catechins (~15% EGCG fraction), 100 ct
    SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
    • EGCG standardization & dose35%7.8
    • Purity & third-party testing30%8.6
    • Safety & caffeine clarity20%8.0
    • Value (cost per active mg)15%8.6

    A gentle, water-extracted green tea (50% polyphenols) from a respected brand — a lower, milder catechin dose that's a sensible, well-priced entry point. Honest budget buy.

    Strong value — respected brand, 100-count
    Low cost per dose (100 ct, 1 cap/day)
    Extract
    500 mg water-extracted green tea (50% polyphenols, ~30% catechins)
    EGCG
    Lower EGCG fraction (~15% of catechins) — a gentle dose by design
    Caffeine
    ~40 mg per capsule (water-extracted; read the label)
    Quality
    Water-extracted, non-GMO, gluten-free, cGMP suppliers
    Pros
    • Water-extracted (not solvent/acetone) from a long-respected supplement brand
    • Gentle, lower catechin dose — a sensible entry point that's hard to overdo
    • Non-GMO, gluten-free, with Jarrow's established QC
    • 100-count bottle at a strong price — low cost per dose
    Cons
    • Lower EGCG content than the high-standardization picks — a milder effect
    • Carries more caffeine (~40 mg) than the lightly-caffeinated picks

    Our take — Jarrow's Green Tea is the gentle, water-extracted option and a genuinely sensible budget buy. It's a 500 mg water-extracted green tea at 50% polyphenols / ~30% catechins, which means a lower, milder EGCG dose than the high-standardization capsules — and for the liver-safety conscious, a dose that's hard to overdo is a feature, not a flaw. The brand's QC and water-extraction are reassuring, and the price per dose is strong. It ranks #6 because the lower EGCG means a more modest effect, and it carries a bit more caffeine (~40 mg) than the lightly-caffeinated picks. If you want a gentle, trustworthy, well-priced extract and aren't chasing maximum EGCG, it's an easy, honest choice — taken with food.

  7. #7
    Highest-mg value
    Horbäach EGCG Green Tea Extract Pills, 180 capsules — from Amazon listing

    Horbäach EGCG Green Tea Extract

    Horbäach · 1800 mg extract per serving, 95% polyphenols / 75% catechins / 45% EGCG, 180 ct
    SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
    • EGCG standardization & dose35%7.8
    • Purity & third-party testing30%7.8
    • Safety & caffeine clarity20%7.4
    • Value (cost per active mg)15%8.6

    A high-mg, value-priced standardized extract (1800 mg/serving, 45% EGCG) in a big 180-count bottle. A lot of EGCG per dollar — with an explicit 'mind the bolus, take with food' caveat.

    Budget — high mg, 180-count
    Lowest cost per active mg (180 ct)
    EGCG per serving
    High — 1800 mg extract/serving @ 45% EGCG (read serving size: multiple caps)
    Caffeine
    Naturally occurring — read the label
    Size
    180 capsules — large supply
    Quality
    Non-GMO, gluten-free; Horbäach in-house QC
    Pros
    • Highly standardized (95% polyphenols / 75% catechins / 45% EGCG) at a budget price
    • Big 180-count bottle delivers the lowest cost per active mg on the list
    • Non-GMO and free of common allergens
    • Flexible dosing — you can split the serving to control your EGCG intake
    Cons
    • The full 1800 mg/serving is a high EGCG bolus — read the serving size and don't take it fasted
    • In-house testing transparency is decent but not best-in-class

    Our take — Horbäach is the high-mg value play, and an honest one as long as you dose it deliberately. The extract is well standardized (95% polyphenols / 75% catechins / 45% EGCG), the 180-count bottle makes the cost per active mg the lowest here, and the label is non-GMO and allergen-friendly. The reason it sits at #7 is precisely the thing that makes it cheap: a full 1800 mg/serving is a high EGCG bolus, so you must read the serving size, take it WITH FOOD, and ideally split it rather than swallowing the whole serving fasted — that high-dose fasted pattern is exactly what the liver-safety reviews caution against. Its in-house testing is good rather than great. For maximum EGCG per dollar from someone who'll dose it sensibly, it works; for a worry-free dose, the moderate picks above are better.

  8. #8
    Simple budget EGCG
    Carlyle EGCG Green Tea Extract Supplement, 200 capsules — from Amazon listing

    Carlyle EGCG Green Tea Extract

    Carlyle · EGCG green tea extract, standardized, 200 capsules, non-GMO & gluten-free
    SAC Product Score™ — how it breaks down
    • EGCG standardization & dose35%7.6
    • Purity & third-party testing30%7.8
    • Safety & caffeine clarity20%7.4
    • Value (cost per active mg)15%8.2

    A simple, no-frills standardized EGCG extract in a big 200-count bottle from an established value brand. Fine and inexpensive — it just brings nothing the higher picks don't do better.

    Budget — value brand, 200-count
    Low cost per dose (200 ct)
    Form
    Standardized EGCG green tea extract capsules
    Caffeine
    Naturally occurring — read the label
    Size
    200 capsules — large supply
    Quality
    Non-GMO, gluten-free; Carlyle (Nature's Truth family) QC
    Pros
    • Standardized EGCG extract from an established value brand
    • Large 200-count bottle keeps the cost per dose low
    • Non-GMO and gluten-free, simple clean label
    • Widely stocked and inexpensive — an easy grab
    Cons
    • No standout feature — no caffeine-control option, no elite testing, no premium standardization headline
    • Testing transparency is decent but not best-in-class

    Our take — Carlyle is a perfectly fine, inexpensive, no-frills EGCG extract — it just doesn't do anything better than the picks above it, which is why it rounds out the list at #8. The label is clean and allergen-friendly (non-GMO, gluten-free), the 200-count bottle keeps the per-dose cost low, and the brand (part of the Nature's Truth family) is established and widely stocked. The knocks are simply about lacking an edge: no decaf/caffeine-control option, no elite third-party testing pedigree, and no standout standardization story. If you find it cheap and want a straightforward EGCG capsule — taken with food, at a sensible dose — it's a fine buy; for anything specific (caffeine control, max standardization, top-tier QC), one of the higher picks is the better tool.

▸ Affiliate disclosure: every Amazon link uses our Associates tag (superachieverclub-20). We earn a small commission at no cost to you; it funds independent reviews. We never accept payment to change a ranking.

Green tea extract is one of the most-searched 'natural fat burner' supplements on the internet — so before any ranking, here's the part most listicles bury: its fat-loss effect is MODEST, and high doses carry a real (if rare) liver risk. The active compound, the catechin EGCG, produces a small bump in fat oxidation and energy expenditure — but the honest, most-cited meta-analysis (Hursel 2009, PMID 19597519) pooled 11 studies and found green tea catechins were associated with only about 1.3 kg of weight change, an effect that was stronger WITH caffeine and varied by ethnicity and habitual caffeine intake. Translation: EGCG is an adjunct to a calorie deficit, caffeine, and exercise — not a replacement for any of them, and not a fat-loss drug. The safety caveat matters just as much, and we won't soft-pedal it. Concentrated green tea extract has been linked to RARE but genuine liver injury (idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity), and the risk rises in a specific, avoidable pattern: large bolus doses, taken on an EMPTY STOMACH, above roughly 800 mg of EGCG per day. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) flagged catechin intakes of 800 mg EGCG/day and above as a hepatic safety concern in 2018, and systematic reviews of the human safety data (Hu 2018, PMID 29580974; Isomura 2016, PMID 27188915) found the liver-enzyme signal clustered at high doses and fasted dosing. So the practical rules are simple and non-negotiable: take green tea extract WITH FOOD, keep your daily EGCG in a sane range (most people do fine with a few hundred mg), and do not megadose chasing faster fat loss. If you ever notice dark urine, jaundice, nausea, or unusual fatigue, stop and see a doctor. Given all that, what should a ranking optimize for? Not the biggest 'fat burner' claim — the best-MADE, safest-to-dose extract. We verified eight real, currently-listed Amazon products (brand confirmed from each Amazon store byline) and scored each on four things that actually differ: honest EGCG standardization and a sane per-serving dose, purity and third-party testing, safety and caffeine clarity (is the EGCG mg AND the caffeine disclosed, and is it sensible to take with food?), and value per active mg of EGCG. Standardization/dose and testing carry the most weight; products that hide the EGCG number behind a big 'extract mg', or that invite fasted megadosing, are penalized.

Just tell me what to buy: get NOW Foods EGCg 400 mg (#1) — ~200 mg of EGCG and low caffeine per capsule from a non-GMO-verified, well-tested brand, with the EGCG, catechin %, and caffeine all on the label. A sane, easy-to-dose extract, taken with food. Want caffeine control (including a decaf option): Life Extension Mega Green Tea Extract (#2). Want the highest standardized EGCG per capsule: Nature's Wellness 98% (#3) — but take it with food and don't double up. Solid mid-list standardized options: Zhou (#4, ~250 mg EGCG/cap, caffeine stated) and NutraBio (#5, ~225 mg EGCG). Honest budget buys: Jarrow's gentle water-extracted 500 mg (#6) and Carlyle's 200-count EGCG (#8). Horbäach (#7) is a high-mg value extract — just mind the bolus and take it with food. Whichever you pick, remember the honest framing: a modest adjunct on top of a calorie deficit, taken WITH FOOD, with caffeine and around training — never a fat burner, and never megadosed.

▸ Methodology

How we ranked these eight

Each pick was scored 0-10 across four criteria, then weighted to a final composite. EGCG standardization and dose carries the most weight (35%) because EGCG is the active compound — and we reward an HONEST, sane dose (clear EGCG mg, sensible per-serving amount), not a giant 'extract mg' that hides a megadose or buries the real EGCG number. Purity and third-party testing (30%) is next: extract quality varies enormously, so a COA, third-party lab testing, or an established brand's QC is what separates a trustworthy product from an anonymous one. Safety and caffeine clarity (20%) is unusually important for this category specifically because of the liver risk: we score up products that disclose both EGCG and caffeine and whose dose is sensible to take with food, and score down products that invite fasted high-dose use. Value (15%) is cost per active mg of EGCG. We do not invent numbers; the only clinical figures we cite are the published meta-analysis and safety reviews, and we state both the modest effect and the EFSA liver-safety flag plainly.

  • EGCG standardization & dose35%

    How much actual EGCG is in a serving, how clearly it's standardized (e.g. '98% polyphenols / 45% EGCG'), and whether the per-serving dose is sane. We reward clear EGCG-mg labeling and a sensible dose; we penalize a big 'extract mg' that hides the real EGCG number or pushes toward a megadose. EGCG, not 'green tea extract', is the active part.

  • Purity & third-party testing30%

    Label transparency, third-party lab testing or a public COA, non-GMO/vegan status, and an established brand's quality assurance. Extract quality and contaminant control vary a lot across this category, so verification is what separates a clean product from a sketchy one. NOW and Life Extension's QC pedigree scores highly here.

  • Safety & caffeine clarity20%

    Because high-dose green tea extract carries a rare liver risk, this matters more than usual. We score up products that disclose BOTH the EGCG mg and the caffeine content, offer a decaf option, and whose dose is sensible to take with food. We score down products that bury caffeine or invite fasted, high-bolus dosing. 'Take with food' is the single most important safety habit.

  • Value (cost per active mg)15%

    Price divided by total EGCG in the bottle (capsules × EGCG per capsule), not the sticker price. A big-count, honestly-standardized bottle from a trusted brand can beat a flashier tub on real cost per active mg — but value never overrides a safety or transparency problem.

▸ Verdict

The bottom line

If you've read this far and just want to be told what to buy: NOW Foods EGCg 400 mg (#1) is the overall winner — ~200 mg of EGCG and low caffeine per capsule from a non-GMO-verified, well-tested brand, with the EGCG, catechin %, and caffeine all honestly labeled, at a fair price. It's the safest-to-dose, best-made option. Life Extension Mega Green Tea Extract (#2) is the pick if you want to control caffeine (a decaf SKU exists) without giving up strong standardization; Nature's Wellness 98% (#3) gives the highest EGCG per capsule if you'll dose it with food and not double up. Zhou (#4) and NutraBio (#5) are clean, transparent mid-list options; Jarrow's gentle water-extracted 500 mg (#6) and Carlyle's 200-count (#8) are honest budget buys; and Horbäach (#7) is the most EGCG per dollar for someone who'll dose it deliberately.

But the two most important things on this page aren't the ranking — they're the honesty and the safety. First, the effect is MODEST: the most-cited meta-analysis (Hursel 2009) associated green tea catechins with only ~1.3 kg of weight change, and that's clearest WITH caffeine and exercise. Green tea extract is an adjunct to a calorie deficit, not a fat burner. Second, the safety: high-dose extract carries a rare but real liver risk, concentrated around big doses taken on an empty stomach above ~800 mg EGCG/day (EFSA flagged it; Hu 2018 and Isomura 2016 reviewed it). So take it WITH FOOD, keep your EGCG in a sane range, never megadose, and stop and see a doctor if you notice dark urine, jaundice, nausea, or unusual fatigue. Used that way — a sensibly-dosed adjunct on top of the work that actually matters — green tea extract is a fine thing to have. Sold as a fat burner, or swallowed fasted by the handful, it isn't worth the risk, and we won't pretend otherwise.

▸ Research & sources

Every claim ranked above traces back to one of these

Peer-reviewed studies, meta-analyses and clinical trials behind the picks. Click any citation to read the abstract on PubMed.

  1. [1]
    Hursel 2009Hursel R, Viechtbauer W, Westerterp-Plantenga MS · 2009 · International Journal of Obesity (Lond) · PMID 19597519

    The effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance: a meta-analysis

    Meta-analysis of 11 studies: green tea catechins (typically with caffeine) were associated with a statistically significant but MODEST mean weight change of about −1.3 kg, and the effect was moderated by habitual caffeine intake and ethnicity (smaller in high-caffeine consumers). This is the most-cited human evidence for green tea and weight, and it shows a small adjunctive effect — not dramatic fat loss, and clearest alongside caffeine.

  2. [2]
    Hu 2018Hu J, Webster D, Cao J, Shao A · 2018 · Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology · PMID 29580974

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

    Systematic review of green tea / green tea extract safety in adults: while green tea is generally safe, the review found that liver-related adverse effects (elevated transaminases, rare hepatotoxicity) were associated with high-dose green tea extract, particularly bolus catechin doses taken on an empty (fasted) stomach. Supports the practical guidance to take extracts WITH FOOD, keep EGCG doses moderate, and avoid high fasted intakes — the basis of this page's liver-safety warning.

  3. [3]
    Isomura 2016Isomura T, Suzuki S, Origasa H, Hosono A, Suzuki M, Sawada T, et al. · 2016 · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · PMID 27188915

    Liver-related safety assessment of green tea extracts in humans: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

    Systematic review of randomized controlled trials assessing liver-related safety of green tea extracts: liver-enzyme elevations were uncommon overall but clustered at higher EGCG doses, reinforcing a dose-dependent hepatic signal. Consistent with EFSA's later conclusion that catechin intakes of 800 mg EGCG/day and above raise a liver-safety concern — the rationale for keeping daily EGCG in a sane range and not megadosing.

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