Green Tea Improves Cholesterol Metabolism

In the oversimplified world of “good” and “bad” it is often not understood that LDL cholesterol Low-density lipoprotein. It is a group of lipids and proteins that allow lipids like cholesterol, triglycerides, and fat soluble nutrients (Vitamin A, D, E , K, Q 10, carotenes) to be transported with the water-based bloodstream. is vital to your health—it delivers fat-soluble nutrition to every cell of your body. Of course you don’t want too much, however, an important part of the issue is to get your LDL to work efficiently so that it actually helps your health. One nutrient that can help is the epigallocatechin gallates (EGCG) of green tea.

A recent study with liver cells sought to determine the precise molecular mechanisms for the benefits of EGCG on cholesterol metabolism. Researchers found that EGCG boosted the function of the LDL receptor on liver cells. This is very important as proper function of the LDL receptor enables your liver to “capture” circulating LDL and recycle it. The lack of LDL receptor function is a typical finding in familial high cholesterol, which means that some people have a gene weakness in this category that has the net result of leaving too much fat-laden cholesterol in their circulation. EGCG may be able to help compensate for this type of genetic weakness.

Furthermore, ECGC was found to inhibit genes so as to reduce the production of Apolipoprotein B (ApoB). ApoB formation is required to form LDL in the first place; too much of it is a health problem of magnitude, as far as healthy cholesterol function is concerned.

Specialized nutrients do not compensate for a bad diet. However, when you eat well and use nutrient support that targets your metabolic problems, then nutrients can help guide gene signals to promote better health.