Lipid-Lowering Effects of Concurrent Training and Green Tea Consumption in Overweight Women.

BACKGROUND

Exercise conducted simultaneously with the consumption of herbal supplements is one of the suggested methods for controlling obesity and its complications. The present study sought to investigate the lipid-lowering effects of concurrent training and green tea (GT) consumption in overweight women.

METHODS

In this quasi-experimental study, 40 overweight women were selected and stratified into four groups: control (C), GT, concurrent training+placebo (TP), and concurrent training+GT (three tablets containing 500 mg of GT per week; T+GT) groups. Both the TP and T+GT groups performed exercise three sessions per week for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected before and 48 hours after the last training session.

RESULTS

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the T+GT (=0.03) and TP (=0.001) groups were significantly decreased relative to in the GT group and were significantly decreased in the T+GT group relative to in the TP group (=0.001). Meanwhile, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the T+GT group were significantly increased as compared with in the GT (=0.01), TP (=0.03), and C (=0.04) groups. Finally, total cholesterol levels in the T+GT group were decreased significantly as compared with in the TP, GT, and C groups (=0.001) and triglyceride levels in the T+GT, TP, and GT groups were significantly increased as compared with in the C group (=0.001).

CONCLUSION

Exercise performed simultaneously with GT consumption in comparison with either alone has a greater effect on improving the lipid profile in overweight women.