There
are countless studies that link green tea (in its natural form) with two major
health benefits:
- Weight
loss
- Protection
from harmful free radicals
But
there’s a catch…
You
have to consume on average between six and seven cups of green tea every day in
order to get its full benefits.
That
can become both hard to manage and expensive. The alternative?
Green
tea extract.
Green tea extract was
created to give consumers all of the benefits of green tea without the need to
consume so much throughout the day.
With
most commercial green tea extracts, one serving is the equivalent of consuming
approximately two-to-three cups of green tea.
So
the question is … what makes green tea extracts different (or better) than
their counterparts? (Besides the fact that they’re made by different
companies.)
The
answer lies with polyphenols.
Today,
we’ll continue our investigation into the best green tea extracts money can buy
by taking an unbiased look at Life Extension’s Decaffeinated Mega Green Tea
Extract.
What Is Life Extension
Decaffeinated Mega Green Tea Extract?
The main attraction of green tea extract is
the polyphenols (catechins and flavonoids) that are found in it.
Typically,
one cup of green tea contains approximately 100 mg of polyphenols. This
presents two problems:
- That’s
not enough to “reap the rewards” from its benefits.
- It’s
not as easily absorbed in liquid form.
Life
Extension’s Green Tea Extract was created on the premise of helping solve those
two issues.
It
comes in a powdered capsule form for better absorption of the polyphenols and
contains approximately 700 mg of polyphenols in just one serving (the
equivalent of seven cups of green tea).
Additionally,
it contains a 45% total of EGCG (326.5 mg) – a powerful catechin that boasts an antioxidant activity level
that’s 25-100 times higher than that of vitamins C and E.
Main Active Ingredients
in Life Extension Decaffeinated Mega Green Tea Extract
The
standard of quality in green tea extracts is their total percentages of both
polyphenols and EGCG. The higher the percentage, the more potent
(powerful) the supplement tends to be.
Life
Extension’s Mega Green Tea Extract well exceeds the percentages most often
recommended for each:
Polyphenols. Life Extension’s green tea extract
contains 98% total polyphenols. It’s these polyphenols that help maintain healthy
cell proliferation, enhance immune function, and help maintain a healthy blood
cholesterol.
Life
Extension has more than enough polyphenols to work its magic. As a matter
of fact, for some consumers it’s a little too potent. (More on this in a
minute.)
EGCG. EGCG has quickly become the
“golden child” of green tea extracts. It’s the most important polyphenol
found in green tea.
Research
has linked EGCG with either preventing or helping the symptoms of the
following:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
However,
it’s absorption levels are minute in natural form as compared to powder
form. With 45% total EGCG in Life Extension’s Mega Green Tea Extract,
it’s absorption levels are much higher (approximately 60-90% higher).
What We Don’t Like
About Life Extension Decaffeinated Mega Green Tea Extract.
- Reported
nausea in some consumers. There have been multiple
reported complaints from consumers about having stomach issues as a result
of taking this dietary supplement. Nausea,
cramps, and upset stomach are the most common symptoms. However, to
be fair, all of the green tea extracts we've researched up to this point
have had reports of similar symptoms.
- Higher
price tag. Life Extension is a very reputable
company. As such, they tend to have higher prices than their
competitors. For some, the effects of the supplement do not justify
the price increase (which in comparison to other green tea extracts can be
approximately 25-30% higher).
What We Love About Life
Extension Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract.
- Repeated
weight loss success stories. While we feel these
pills should always be seen more as overall health dietary supplements
versus strictly weight loss pills, we can’t argue with results. And
several consumers have posted detailed weight loss benefits from taking
Life Extension’s green tea extract.
- Low
doses of caffeine. One serving of Life
Extension’s Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract contains only 3.6% of the
total amount of caffeine found in a single cup of coffee. This
translates into little (if any) stimulation from taking the supplement –
even if you’re more sensitive to caffeine.