Green tea - yay or nay?

[pjmc]

So what's the deal with green tea?

I've been reading on various bodybuilding forums that its great for fat loss, appetite suppression as well as a myriad of other health benefits. However then I read a few posts that claim it blocks testosterone and reduces igf-1 / gh levels?? This is NOT good for bodybuilding!

I'm looking to start drinking it however I don't want it to inhibit my gains and mess with my anabolic hormones.

Anyone care to shed some light?

Thanks!

 

[dirtwarrior]

As far as I know it is lightly dried regular tea. I like it cause the taste is more pleasing to me. Not sure how it affects test levels

 

[vidapreta]

So what's the deal with green tea?

I've been reading on various bodybuilding forums that its great for fat loss, appetite suppression as well as a myriad of other health benefits. However then I read a few posts that claim it blocks testosterone and reduces igf-1 / gh levels?? This is NOT good for bodybuilding!

I'm looking to start drinking it however I don't want it to inhibit my gains and mess with my anabolic hormones.

Anyone care to shed some light?

Thanks!

I've never heard anything negative about green tea and I highly doubt that it would block test and prevent muscle gains.

 

[jared767]

Same here. I haven't read or heard anything wrong about it..but take everything in moderation and you should be safe :01:

 

[pjmc]

Hey guys, here is the forum discussion I was referring to:
http://www.mindandmuscle.net/forum/31063-green-tea-blocks-testosterone

And here is the pubmed study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19330017

"Green tea polyphenols inhibit testosterone production in rat Leydig cells."

[h=3]Abstract[/h]This study investigated the acute effects of green tea extract (GTE) and its polyphenol constituents, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (-)-epicatechin (EC), on basal and stimulated testosterone production by rat Leydig cells in vitro. Leydig cells purified in a Percoll gradient were incubated for 3 h with GTE, EGCG or EC and the testosterone precursor androstenedione, in the presence or absence of either protein kinase A (PKA) or protein kinase C (PKC) activators. The reversibility of the effect was studied by pretreating cells for 15 min with GTE or EGCG, allowing them to recover for 1 h and challenging them for 2 h with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol or androstenedione. GTE and EGCG, but not EC, inhibited both basal and kinase-stimulated testosterone production. Under the pretreatment conditions, the inhibitory effect of the higher concentration of GTE/EGCG on hCG/LHRH-stimulated or 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol-induced testosterone production was maintained, whereas androstenedione-supported testosterone production returned to control levels. At the lower concentration of GTE/EGCG, the inhibitory effect of these polyphenols on 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol-supported testosterone production was reversed. The inhibitory effects of GTE may be explained by the action of its principal component, EGCG, and the presence of a gallate group in its structure seems important for its high efficacy in inhibiting testosterone production. The mechanisms underlying the effects of GTE and EGCG involve the inhibition of the PKA/PKC signalling pathways, as well as the inhibition of P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase function.

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Thoughts?

I'm going to start drinking a cup or two a day and see what kind of results I get..

 

[cisco_trooper]

Why are people wasting money studying the affects of green tea on testosterone levels in rats? I've never heard anything bad about green tea and I wouldn't modify my consumption of green tea based on testosterone levels in rats. Rats are rodents. Green tea has been around a LONG time and has earned a pretty good reputation for antioxidant qualities. I personally wouldn't worry about it, but if you must worry, do a controlled test on yourself and see if it slows down your muscle gains. If your test levels tank you won't build muscle as fast because your protein synthesis will slow down.

 

[vidapreta]

Why are people wasting money studying the affects of green tea on testosterone levels in rats? I've never heard anything bad about green tea and I wouldn't modify my consumption of green tea based on testosterone levels in rats. Rats are rodents. Green tea has been around a LONG time and has earned a pretty good reputation for antioxidant qualities. I personally wouldn't worry about it, but if you must worry, do a controlled test on yourself and see if it slows down your muscle gains. If your test levels tank you won't build muscle as fast because your protein synthesis will slow down.

Yeah it's ridiculous.

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[soontobbeast]

free radicals inhibit test production.
green tea eliminates free radicals.


case closed.

 

[MuscleGauge1]

Rich in antiaging (anti-oxis) just don't down it with sugar and stick to Agave nectar or just lemon for taste and your good to go

 

[vidapreta]

yay or nay? I say yay drink up!