Effect of green tea extract on postprandial lipid response to an oral fat load

Increasing evidence shows that an exaggerated postprandial lipid response is associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Green tea has been shown to lower plasma lipids and favorably alter other biomarkers of CVD risk in various animal models. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of green tea extract (GTE) on the postprandial lipid response in human subjects during an oral fat tolerance test. In a randomized, single blind, cross over study, postmenopausal women who were 45–65 y old and mildly hyperlipidemic, were recruited. Subjects consumed either 690mg or no GTE after a standardized oral fat load and were switched to the alternate treatment after one wk. Plasma samples were collected at baseline and at hourly intervals for 6 h to determine the area under the curve (AUC) for total plasma triglycerides (TG) and chylomicron TG. Subjects baseline characteristics for plasma lipids were: total cholesterol, 222.7 ± 20.6 mg/dL; HDL‐C, 69 ± 21.2 mg/dL, LDL‐C, 125.2 ± 21.2 and triglycerides (TG) 137.8 ± 21.2 mg/dL. The AUC for total plasma TG was lower during the green tea period (1228.9 ± 367 mg/dL‐h) compared to the placebo (1390.8 ± 592.9 mg/dL‐h). Similarly the AUC for TG in chylomicrons was 33% lower during the green tea than during the placebo period. The concentrations of plasma vitamin E followed the same trend as observed for TG in chylomicrons. These results suggest that GTE may lower the intestinal absorption of lipids, thereby decreasing the postprandial TG response to a high fat meal. [Supported by NIH R21AT001363‐01A2 to SIK]