Green Tea Improves Skin Quality in Women, Protects Against UV Radiation

A 12 week study with women has found that green tea catechins¹ are able to improve skin characteristics including elasticity, roughness, scaling, density, and water content.  Additionally, less UV radiation damage was seen in the group that supplemented with green tea catechins.

It is well known that various types of antioxidant compounds tend to accumulate in your skin and help protect it from the UV radiation of the sun.  The carotene lycopene It is a bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in red colored fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, and papayas. Research suggests amelioration of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and infertility. from tomatoes is one example, as are the tocotrienols of vitamin E. Previous studies have indicated that green tea helps protect the skin, and this new study provides clear evidence of that fact in humans.

The study also showed that green tea boosted oxygen flow to the skin, which peaked at 30 minutes after ingestion. Any time circulation to skin is improved then skin health will be improved – which was certainly the case in this study. 

The dose of green tea used in this study was 1,402 mgs of total catechins. Catechins are the active polyphenol in green tea and are standardized in dietary supplement capsules. A capsule containing all high quality green tea, will have around 400 mgs of active catechins. Therefore, you would need 3 – 4 capsules per day to reach the dose tested in this study.