Green Tea Extract Supplements
Posted:
2017-02-06
On February 3, 2017, the Canadian Broadcast Corporation (CBC) Marketplace program described some cases of serious harm associated with green tea extract supplements that included hepatotoxicity, liver transplants and even death. In their feature story they point out that labelling a product as 'natural' does not assure that it works or that it is safe.
Since 2011, the evidence synthesis on green tea extract within the PEN® System is that any potential weight loss effect of green tea extract supplements is small and of questionable clinical significance and supplements are associated with the risk of hepatotoxicity and other side-effects. The practice question on this topic is currently being reviewed. Studies identified thus far also did not report clinically meaningful differences in weight loss between green tea extract and placebo. Of importance, more papers were published highlighting the potential for rare but serious risks of hepatotoxicity and severe liver damage from supplementation and weight loss products containing green tea (single and multi-ingredient products). Specifically, three publications (see below) describing 18 cases of hepatotoxicity, which resulted in liver transplantation for six individuals were identified and are being reviewed for incorporation into the PEN analysis on this topic.
See Additional Content:
Are green tea supplements safe and effective for weight loss among overweight or obese adults?
Health Canada case report describing the 17-year-old profiled in the CBC Marketplace program.
Publications
Mazzanti G, Di Sotto A, Vitalone A. Hepatoxicity of green tea: an update. Arch Toxicol. 2015 Aug;89(8):1175-91. doi: 10.1007/s00204-015-15121-x. Epub 2015 May. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25975988
Zheng EX, Rossi S, Fontana RJ, Vuppalanchi R, Hoofnagle JH, Kham I, et el. Risk of liver injury associated with green tea extract in SLIMQUICK(®) weight loss products: results from the DILIN prospective study. Drug Saf. 2016 Aug;39(8):749-54. doi: 10.1007/s40264-016-0428-7. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27189593
Whitsett M, Marzio DH, Rossi S. SlimQuick™ - associated hepatoxicity resulting in fulminant liver failure and orthotopic liver transplantation. ACG Case Rep J. 2014 Jul;1(4):220-2. doi: 10.14309/crj.2014.59. eCollection 2014. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26157882