Green tea extract (EGCG)
Concentrated catechin extract from green tea, usually combined with caffeine.
What the research shows
Mixed or small evidence. The effect is uncertain.
Phung (2010) saw no effect at all without caffeine across 15 trials with 1243 participants, and roughly 1.4 kg of weight difference with caffeine. Hursel (2009) arrived at an average of 1.3 kg across eleven studies, an effect that largely disappeared in people already consuming a lot of caffeine. The USP review (2020) reported liver damage at intakes of 140 to around 1000 mg EGCG per day.
Who it makes sense for: People losing weight who expect at most a kilo or so of extra loss, and only in combination with caffeine.
How we weigh evidenceClinical dosage
Scientific sources
The clinical dosages on this page are based on peer-reviewed research.
- Effect of green tea catechins with or without caffeine on anthropometric measures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Phung OJ et al. (2010)
- The effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance: a meta-analysis.Hursel R et al. (2009)
- United States Pharmacopeia (USP) comprehensive review of the hepatotoxicity of green tea extracts.Oketch-Rabah HA et al. (2020)Funded by: Twee auteurs zijn in dienst van de United States Pharmacopeia; enkele co-auteurs melden banden met de industrie, zie de belangenverklaring bij het artikel.
We keep the dosages and values on this page as accurate as possible based on selected studies. New research may change these values. Nothing on this page is medical advice. If you have any doubts, always consult a doctor.