When we think of supplements, ones for multivitamins, vitamin D, or omega 3 come to mind, but if you are looking for a specific supplement that aids in weight loss by burning fat while giving you energy during the day.
But the main question is whether they are effective for you and what effects these can have on your mental and physical state.
That is why it’s a good idea to find out what other users have thought of them, which you can find below to determine if they will work with your lifestyle.
What Are Green Tea Supplements?
These supplements usually come in packets of 200 fast-acting capsules that contain green tea extract, caffeine, ECGC, Advantra Z, and chromium picolate. They are said to reduce inflammation, help with weight loss, prevent certain chronic conditions, and increase attention.
The chemical in green tea is said to help with losing weight as it can boost metabolism levels by increasing the amount of energy used. It makes sense that you get similar results from the capsule form, but this can differ depending on the diet and how many capsules are consumed.
What makes these more palatable is that the caffeine released for some people is a better concentration of caffeine, so you may not have as much of an upset stomach as you might get from caffeine in the form of coffee, soft drinks, pain relievers, or even chocolate.
What Users Like
One of the primary use cases is down to preferring the capsule form rather than drinking it, as some have said that the liquid form has caused irritability in the stomach and led to issues such as water retention, constipation, nausea, and acid reflux.
One popular aspect of these supplements is the energy boost that comes from them, so users that have taken the daily dose of two capsules have noted that they find they are working as soon as they are ingested, so they feel less tired during the day.
Another popular benefit among users is that they have found their skin, hair, and nails look and grow healthier, and when taken in moderation, some have said that they have seen notable weight loss that is on the modest side at best.
What Users Don’t Like
As effective as these seem, some users have reported that these supplements do not affect them after prolonged use, which may be due to their diet and the dosage they use each day.
While these pills have caffeine that is between 30-40mg, some users have said the content of this has been counterproductive, as when taken in larger quantities could raise blood pressure, heart palpitations, nausea, and increase the use of the bathroom.
Some have also expressed distrust of them because the green tea extract has been linked to liver damage due to the compounds causing hepatotoxicity, leading to liver failure and death.
This, however, has been said to affect a small number of people with a specific genetic variation who may be vulnerable to these effects and have seen early signs of liver damage after a year of use.
Getting The Right Balance
While this damage only massively affects two distinct genotypes, others out there don’t need these supplements altogether, so it might be a good idea to find out from a physician whether these are suited to you and won’t bring on any harmful side effects.
For those with caffeine sensitivities, you can get caffeine-free versions of these supplements, but this can mean you don’t get as much of an energy boost and might not taste as good because organic kinds can be mixed with other spices for added benefits.
However, there may be ways that you can use these supplements if you look at other areas of your lifestyle, as this can be an indicator of whether you need these supplements in the first place.
For Losing Weight
This is probably one of the main reasons why people try these supplements, but even though you may see a change on the scales, the results may be small to modest, as there may be more sustainable ways to lose weight and keep it off.
That is why there isn’t a fast solution to the problem, and it requires you to look at your lifestyle and get the right amount of exercise and balanced food groups, which may even help you in areas such as sleep, and as a result, you may wake up feeling more energized.
If you want to avoid the risks to your liver, try the liquid version, as you can try different versions from matcha, Jasmine, Mint, Japanese Sencha, and Gyokuro green tea. They all have different scents and bodies, which can be helpful if you struggle to drink them.
For Blood Pressure
In general, you can keep this down by having a curated diet plan that avoids excessive amounts of caffeine, sugar, and salt, or you might be over the age of 65, where high blood pressure can be more of a risk to you, as it might be naturally increased due to isolated systolic hypertension.
Suppose you have been prescribed medications like enzyme inhibitors. In that case, you should avoid certain green tea supplements, as the caffeine used in some supplements may give you a sudden boost in energy rather than gradually during the day.
There are also those medications that may be affected or made useless by certain supplements. While multivitamins have been shown not to cause the risk of hypertension, this applies to baseline varieties.
This test was carried out with adults with better health status than the general population, so the effects are not fully known as the multivitamin industry is wide and isn’t fully regulated, so you can find a lot of supplement types that have claims that may not be true.
For Energy levels
Many turn to remedies like this for a more concentrated boost in energy. While it’s good to have a quick remedy to make us more focused, there are ways that you can do this naturally without the use of vitamin supplements unless you are lacking in some area.
This can involve eating a balanced snack or meal every 3 to 4 hours, getting at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, drinking less alcohol, consuming more water, and even cutting out caffeine altogether.
The best way to see what works for you is to try different methods and see if they work for you, but if it’s healthy for you to do so, taking supplements such as green tea in the short-term may give you that boost you’re looking for, so try both forms.
For Other Health Conditions
It is said with some forms of this supplement that the compounds used could reduce the risk of certain types of cancers, especially prostate cancer, but it is said that these can also help with issues such as urinary tract infections.
Some supplements may only benefit someone’s health if they have deficiencies in a certain vitamin or nutrient, so even though someone may feel better, this may be a placebo effect gained from a claim that might be made on the packaging.
If you experience any deficiencies or have chronic health issues that lead to inflammation or other complications can be managed in a safe way that involves looking at aspects of your lifestyle to see if there are any changes you need to make.
This may be as simple as improving your nutrition, exercising more, reducing alcohol or tobacco use, and lowering your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
The Best Way To Use These Supplements
First of all, it’s a good idea only to consume the recommended amount on the labeling, which is usually 1-2 capsules per day and taken after you’ve eaten. You should avoid any other forms of caffeine while on these.
If you find you still have high blood pressure, anxiety, stomach ulcers, kidney problems, or liver damage, you should stop using them and consult with a physician on other ways to minimize the effects of these issues.
In general, these should be used as a short-term solution, and you should avoid mixing these with other supplements as these could negate certain effects or cause more harm in the mid to long term.
The Bottom Line
Before taking any supplements like this, you should be sure to use ones that are trusted or recommended by a practitioner, as there are many types of this supplement out there that claim to have specific effects, which might be minimal at best.
If you have doubts about the dosage, it might be best to start on the lower end and see how you feel during the day, as taking them later in the day may affect your sleep patterns, so care needs to be taken there.
