The Effect of White Tea Consumption on Obesity

White Tea Consumption Alleviates on Body Composition, Oxidative Stress, Appetite Hormones, Inflammation and Lipids in Obese Patients

Obesity is an increasing global public health issue. In general, tea consumption have been shown to offer benefit to obese patients. However, the potential of white tea (WT) to treat and protect from the adverse effects of obesity have not been addressed so far. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and impact WT consumption highest in catechins on levels of anthropometric and biochemical values in obese patients.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity; Obesity Adult Onset; Obesity; Endocrine

Detailed Description

Obesity is the increase in body weight above the normal level as a result of excessive fat accumulation. This condition is a chronic metabolic disease that increases the risk of long-term medical complications. The prevalence of obesity is an increasing global public health problem. Numerous conditions such as excessive and malnutrition, lack of physical activity, hormonal factors, genetic and psychological factors, and medicine use are effective in the formation of obesity. Obesity is associated with many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.

Since the mechanical load and myocardial metabolism increase in obesity, oxygen consumption also increases. Therefore, there is an increase in the formation of oxygen radicals (ROS) caused by mitochondrial respiration. Oxidative stress and ROS stimulate pro-inflammatory cytokine release. ROS attack macromolecules such as DNA, proteins, lipids. Macromolecular damage results in cellular damage and death. Damages caused by ROS are repaired by antioxidant defense systems. It has been suggested that inflammatory markers such as ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin, interleukins, matrix metalloproteinases, tumor necrosis factor are associated with insulin resistance in obese patients. These substances are effective on food intake, energy balance, insulin activity, lipid and glucose metabolism, angiogenesis and vascular structuring and blood pressure in the body.

Many drugs have been used to treat obesity. Orlistat is a widely used drug to treat this disease. It reversibly inhibits gastric and pancreatic lipases. Inactivation of lipases prevents the hydrolysis of triglycerides. Metformin, a dimethylbiguanide, inhibits the mitochondrial complex-I, which leads to adenosine 5-monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. By affecting the AMPK level, it provides the translocation of the glucose transporter 4 protein independently of insulin and regulates the blood glucose level. Clinicians often prescribe it to achieve weight loss. However, they have evinced serious adverse effects, including headache, cardiovascular diseases and depression, which restrict their use.

In recent years, one of the fastest growing fields in the treatment of obesity is the use of natural herbal products and many studies have proven the use of herbal products to be effective and safe. Especially, tea is reported to have anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory and hypolipidaemic actions.

Tea is produced from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, which belongs to the Theaceae family, and is one of the most consumed beverages after water in many societies. In general, four types of tea are produced from the tea plant. WT differs from other teas in that only the buds and young leaves of the plant are used. WT has important benefits for human health with its high content of catechins and derivatives, as well as other tea components.

In the literature searches, no clinical research has been found on the effect of WT on obesity, which is richer than other tea varieties in terms of antioxidant properties and produced with less processing. This study aimed to determine the effect of WT consumption on obesity and the relationship between anthropometric and biochemical values of WT consumption in obese individuals.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 91

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Rize, Turkey, 53100
    • Recep Tayyip Erdogan University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Obese individuals who applied to the Endocrinology and Metabolism outpatient clinic of tertiary hospital.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Body Mass Index of 30 and above (kg/m²)

Exclusion Criteria:

• smoking
• physical disability preventing participating in the exercise programs
• joint problem preventing participating in the exercise programs
• trauma preventing participating in the exercise programs
• malignancy
• history of cerebrovascular disease
• active use of antidepressant drugs

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

4

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Control (CONT); Obese patients who did not receive any drugs or herbal supplement were offered to be included in the CONT group.
Orlistat (ORL); Obese patients who were treated with orlistat were offered to be included in the ORL group.
Metformin (METF); Obese patients who were treated with metformin were offered to be included in the METF group.
White Tea (WT); Obese patients who did not receive any drugs, but were taking white tea were offered to be included in the WT group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Weight loss	Decrease in body weight	3 months
Waist Circumference	Decrease in waist circumference	3 months
Body Mass Index	Decrease in body mass index	3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Tumor Necrosis Factor - alpha	Decrease in serum Tumor Necrosis Factor - alpha level	3 months
Total cholesterol	Decrease in serum total cholesterol level	3 months
Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol	Decrease in serum Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol level	3 months
High-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol	Increase in serum High-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol level	3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Recep Tayyip Erdogan University
• Investigators: Study Director: Adnan Yılmaz, Prof., Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Medical Faculty

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Castro-Barquero S, Lamuela-Raventos RM, Domenech M, Estruch R. Relationship between Mediterranean Dietary Polyphenol Intake and Obesity. Nutrients. 2018 Oct 17;10(10):1523. doi: 10.3390/nu10101523.
• Taylor EB. The complex role of adipokines in obesity, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Clin Sci (Lond). 2021 Mar 26;135(6):731-752. doi: 10.1042/CS20200895.
• Xia X, Lin Z, Shao K, Wang X, Xu J, Zhai H, Wang H, Xu W, Zhao Y. Combination of white tea and peppermint demonstrated synergistic antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. J Sci Food Agric. 2021 Apr;101(6):2500-2510. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.10876. Epub 2020 Oct 30.
• Yang CS, Zhang J, Zhang L, Huang J, Wang Y. Mechanisms of body weight reduction and metabolic syndrome alleviation by tea. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2016 Jan;60(1):160-74. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201500428. Epub 2015 Dec 9.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): December 15, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 4, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 4, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 10, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 10, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 4, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Inflammation; Obesity; Weight loss; Lipid profile; Appetite hormones; White tea
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Overweight; Body Weight; Obesity
• Other Study ID Numbers: WhiteTeaAY

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Sharing of individual participant data is prohibited by the Ethics committee. It is allowed on an individual basis.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No