Effects Of Exercise Training With Green Tea Extract On Cognition, Aerobic Capacity, And Metabolic Biomarkers
Chen, Chung-Yu Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: July 2020 - Volume 52 - Issue 7S - p 766
Green tea, a commonly used beverage, is gaining more attention in promoting overall health. Green tea extract (GTE) hasbeen shown to have anti-inflammation and antioxidant functions. Regular exercise training is known to improve aerobic capacity, cognition, and metabolic-related biomarkers. However, it is not well known whether the combination of GTE supplementation during exercise training provides additive benefits.
PURPOSE: To determine the effects of 6-wk of combined endurance and strength training with GTE supplementation on cognitive function, aerobic capacity and metabolic parameters in young sedentary individuals.
METHODS: 16 individuals (4 M, 12 F) participated in this double-blind, randomized controlled study. All individuals participated in combined endurance and strength training for 6 wks (60 min/day, 3 days/week), and were randomized to receive either placebo (PLA, N=8, 2 M/6 F; 22.3 ± 2.5 yrs) or GTE (480 mg/day N=8, 2 M/6 F; 23.4 ± 3.6 yrs). Simple cognitive reaction speed, aerobic capacity, and blood metabolic biomarkers (blood glucose and insulin, cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, uric acid and blood urea nitrogen) were measured.
RESULTS: Improvement in simple cognitive reaction speed was significantly greater in the GTE group compared to the PLA group after training (PLA: -1.05% vs. GTE: 5.36%; p<0.05). Although in both groups the exercise training markedly improved aerobic capacity (PLA: 6.24%; GTE: 7.67%) and increased circulating high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (PLA: 7.96%; GTE: 11.22%) compared to baseline values (p<0.05), there were no differences in these variables between treatments.
CONCLUSIONS: A 6-wk GTE supplementation may be able to amplify exercise training adaptations in cognitive performance in young sedentary individuals, but aerobic capacity and metabolic biomarkers were not affected after the intervention in this study population.