Fermented green tea can control adiposity and lipid metabolism, effectively ameliorating obesity

South Korean researchers examined the effects of fermented green tea extract on the differentiation of fat cells (adipogenesis) and the synthesis of fatty acids (lipogenesis). They reported their findings in an article published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

• Green tea is known for its beneficial effects on metabolic health.
• It is known to alleviate metabolic disorders by regulating lipid metabolism.
• Meanwhile, fermented food products are known to improve health by modulating immune response and energy metabolism.
• To maximize health benefits, the researchers fermented green tea and obtained an extract, which they used to treat cultured adipocytes.
• They reported that the fermented green tree extract (FGT) inhibited adipogenesis and lipogenesis while augmenting mRNA expression of fatty acid oxidation-related genes in differentiated myocytes.
• In mice with diet-induced obesity, FGT reduced body weight and fat mass gain by 69.7 percent and 56.7 percent, respectively.
• FGT also improved circulating triglyceride levels by 32 percent.
• In addition, FGT promoted lipid catabolism in peripheral tissues and modulated gut microbial composition, which is associated with obesity and related metabolic disorders.
• The researchers noted that epigallocatechin gallate mediates the effect of FGT on lipid metabolism.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that FGT is a novel functional food that can be used to control adiposity and lipid metabolism.

Journal Reference:

Cho D, Jeong HW, Kim JK, Kim AY, Hong YD, Lee J-H, Choi JK, Seo DB. GALLOCATECHIN GALLATE-CONTAINING FERMENTED GREEN TEA EXTRACT AMELIORATES OBESITY AND HYPERTRIGLYCERIDEMIA THROUGH THE MODULATION OF LIPID METABOLISM IN ADIPOCYTES AND MYOCYTES. Journal of Medicinal Food. 06 August 2019;22(8):779–788. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2018.4327