Health
Green tea for fueling weight loss? Experts reveal the skinny truth
Millions of Americans are using prescription drugs like Ozempic in an effort to lose weight.
These medications, however, could pose some health concerns, and they’re often costly — also, in some parts of the U.S., patients are experiencing shortages.
Recently, social media posts have been buzzing about green tea as a way to shed pounds without the medication or high costs.
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So should you try green tea as a way to trim your waistline?
Fox News Digital reached out to experts about the beverage’s weight-loss potential.
Here are five key questions they answered.
On social media, there’s been plenty of buzz that green tea could be a way to shed pounds without medication or high costs. (iStock)
1. What’s the science behind the green tea weight-loss claims?
Scientific findings from studies examining green tea extract in energy drinks and weight-loss supplements are mixed at best, according to Cleveland Clinic.
“There’s some speculation that catechins (natural polyphenolic phytochemicals found in food and medicinal plants) in green tea can break down body fat and may rev up your metabolism, contributing to weight loss,” the same source noted.
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In addition, research has found that “green tea can help manage your appetite and blood sugar levels,” which may lead to better weight management if used on a regular basis, Cleveland Clinic indicated.
Green tea contains caffeine, which can aid in weight loss.
Kelli Metzger, a registered dietitian at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C., said that green tea contains caffeine, which can also aid in weight loss.
“Green tea contains caffeine and epigallocatechingallate (EGCG), which can help boost metabolism and break down fat cells,” Metzger told Fox News Digital.
EGCG is the most abundant catechin in green tea, per Healthline.
2. Can green tea help with other medical issues?
In studies, EGCG has been found to help lower blood pressure, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and inflammatory markers for heart disease, said Metzger.
“It may also enhance insulin sensitivity, helping to reduce the risk of diabetes,” she added.
Although this information is promising, Metzger emphasized that it’s vital to discuss this with a health care provider.
“It is best to consult a physician before adding large amounts of green tea or EGCG supplements to your daily intake,” said one expert. (iStock)
“The EGCG may interfere with absorption of some cholesterol-lowering or antipsychotic medications, so it is best to consult a physician before adding large amounts of green tea or EGCG supplements to your daily intake,” she advised.
One cup of green tea contains about 50 to 100 milligrams of EGCG, Metzger noted, while most experts suggest consuming no more than 338 milligrams per day.”
Consuming 800 milligrams or more of EGCG per day could lead to liver damage, she warned.
3. Should green tea’s caffeine levels be a red flag?
Since green tea contains caffeine, those who drink it or take supplements with green tea extract should be aware of the effects of the drug, experts say.
A cup of green tea contains roughly 29 milligrams of caffeine, compared to 95 milligrams in a cup of coffee.
If you’re sipping green tea all day in the hope of shedding pounds, keep a tally of your caffeine totals.
“Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is considered safe for most people,” Metzger said.
“Overall, adding green tea to your diet, especially if it replaces juices or sodas, is a good choice,” she told Fox News Digital.
Those who are sipping multiple cups of green tea throughout the day in hopes of shedding pounds, however, should keep a tally of caffeine totals, the expert advised.
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It’s also important to be aware of your sensitivity to caffeine.
For some people, the drug may cause anxiety, jitters, restlessness, headaches, increased heart rate and/or difficulty sleeping, Metzger cautioned.
4. Is drinking green tea better than taking supplements?
The better choice is to drink green tea rather than take the extract in supplements, according to some experts.
“Any time you want a nutrient to have the optimal effect, it’s best to eat or drink it when possible,” LaTasha Perkins, M.D., a family physician at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital.
To change your body long-term, you should incorporate consistent habits that become part of a healthier lifestyle, experts say. (iStock)
“This is because your body knows what to do with foods and drinks, and can break them down and absorb the nutrients more easily and effectively.”
if you decide to use the extract in supplement form, aim for no more than 338 mg EGCG per day, Metzger recommended.
5. How can green tea fit into an overall weight-loss plan?
Incorporating green tea could possibly help you lose weight, but it’s best as part of a bigger game plan, experts say.
“It can be effective in combination with other lifestyle adjustments for weight loss, such as making healthy choices in your diet while also drinking green tea,” said Perkins.
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Green tea can also help to stimulate digestion, she noted.
“The stimulation of digestion is how green tea aids the body in metabolizing, because it helps the body’s GI (gastrointestinal) system.”
For some people, caffeine may cause anxiety, jitters, restlessness, headaches, increased heart rate and/or difficulty sleeping, a doctor noted. (iStock)
To change your body long-term, it’s best to incorporate consistent habits that become part of a healthier lifestyle, experts say.
“There’s no quick fix when it comes to weight loss and maintaining a healthy way of living — these habits must be maintained over time,” Perkins said.
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The best thing you can do is make a conscious decision to eat better, she noted.
“Think of food as medicine,” the doctor advised.
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Good hydration and exercise are also essential when working toward a weight-loss goal.
Added Perkins, “Balance is key, but nutrition is a good first step to focus on.”
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As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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