Abstract
BackgroundGreen tea catechins may play a role in body weight regulation through interactions with the gut microbiota.AimWe examined whether green tea supplementation for 12 weeks induces changes in composition of the human gut microbiota.Methods58 Caucasian men and women were included in a randomized, placebo-controlled design. For 12 weeks, subjects consumed either green tea (>0.56 g/d epigallocatechin-gallate + 0.28 ∼ 0.45 g/d caffeine) or placebo capsules. Fecal samples were collected twice (baseline, vs. week 12) for analyses of total bacterial profiles by means of IS-profiling, a 16S-23S interspacer region-based profiling method.ResultsNo significant changes between baseline and week 12 in subjects receiving green tea or placebo capsules, and no significant interactions between treatment (green tea or placebo) and time (baseline and week 12) were observed for body composition. Analysis of the fecal samples in subjects receiving green tea and placebo showed similar bacterial diversity and community structures, indicating there were no significant changes in bacterial diversity between baseline and week 12 in subjects receiving green tea capsules or in subjects receiving placebo capsules. No significant interactions were observed between treatment (green tea or placebo) and time (baseline and week 12) for the gut microbial diversity. Although, there were no significant differences between normal weight and overweight subjects in response to green tea, we did observe a reduced bacterial alpha diversity in overweight as compared to normal weight subjects (p = 0.002).ConclusionGreen tea supplementation for 12 weeks did not have a significant effect on composition of the gut microbiota.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01556321
Highlights
Green tea (GT) catechins have been shown to have anti-obesity effects in humans
Analysis of the fecal samples in subjects receiving green tea and placebo showed similar bacterial diversity and community structures, indicating there were no significant changes in bacterial diversity between baseline and week 12 in subjects receiving green tea capsules or in subjects receiving placebo capsules
No significant interactions were observed between treatment and time for the gut microbial diversity
Summary
Green tea (GT) catechins have been shown to have anti-obesity effects in humans. A role of gut microbiota has been suggested, possibly in relation to the preservation of fat free body-mass and the increase in energy expenditure [13]. Body fat of germfree mice increased after gut microbiota transplantation from normal mice, without an increase in food consumption [16], suggesting that the gut microbiota is important in regulation of energy harvesting and fat storage. The microbiota in the intestines of obese individuals may be more efficient in extracting energy from the diet and in storing this energy as fat, resulting in an increase in body weight and body fat percentage. Green tea catechins may play a role in body weight regulation through interactions with the gut microbiota
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