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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A new injectable therapy is showing positive results in reducing melanoma throughout a five-year period.
The personalized mRNA cancer therapy, called intismeran autogene, combined with the cancer immunotherapy drug KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), is a collaboration between Merck and Moderna.
The results from the phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 27.
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After about a five-year follow-up, the combo drug was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone.
The researchers analyzed data from 157 patients with high-risk stage 3 and 4 melanoma whose cancer had been removed via surgery. The participants were split into two groups — one received the combo therapy and the other only received pembrolizumab, according to a press release.
The therapy was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone after a five-year follow-up. (iStock)
The findings revealed that the combination group saw benefits that were “sustained and durable over time.”
Intismeran autogene is designed using mutations identified in a patient’s own tumor, with the intention of teaching the immune system what the cancer looks like so that it can recognize and attack it.
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According to the researchers, intismeran is “well-tolerated” with a “manageable” safety profile.
The most commonly cited side effects of the personalized mRNA vaccine plus KEYTRUDA were fatigue, injection-site pain, chills, fever and headache. The researchers reported no new long-term safety concerns and no severe vaccine-related adverse events.
The combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study — the final confirmation stage.
Patients with late-stage melanoma have a “significant risk” of cancer recurrence, according to an expert. (iStock)
In a Merck press release from January, Kyle Holen, MD, Moderna’s senior vice president and head of development, oncology and therapeutics, noted that this data highlights the “potential of a prolonged benefit … in patients with resected high-risk melanoma.”
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“We continue to invest in our platform in oncology because of encouraging outcomes like these, which illustrate mRNA’s potential in cancer care,” he said.
Dr. Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, also commented that for many patients with stage 3 or 4 melanoma, there is a “significant risk of recurrence following surgery.”
Researchers confirmed that the combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study. (iStock)
“As such, demonstrating the longer-term potential of intismeran autogene and KEYTRUDA to reduce the risk of recurrence for certain patients with melanoma is a meaningful milestone,” she said.
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The company cited encouraging five-year follow-up data and pointed to upcoming late-stage INTerpath trial results with Moderna in several hard-to-treat cancers.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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