How Much Green Tea Extract Should You Take?

Now that you have learned the benefits of green tea extract in our article “Why Should You Take Green Tea Extract”, you may be ready to try it out and see how it will work for you– your next question would be how much GTE should you take per day.

We’ll now provide you with a science-backed guide on how much of it you should take. Keep reading and let’s dive into it!

Green Tea Extract - Recommended Dosage

Green tea products are typically standardized to the amount of polyphenols or antioxidants they provide.¹

Based on systematic reviews of GTE consumption on adults, it was found that the recommended dosage of green tea extract is between 250–500 mg per day. This amount can be obtained from 3–5 cups of green tea, or about 1.2 liters.^2-3

However, it is important to note that these studies were conducted among healthy adults. People taking high doses of green tea catechins should monitor their liver enzymes to avoid liver damage or acute liver failure.^4-5

New EU Legislation on Intake of GTE

New EU legislation restricts the amount of green tea extract containing (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that can be present in food and sets new labeling requirements.

In the 2018 scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that consumption of EGCG exceeding 800 milligrams per day (mg/day) may increase the likelihood of liver damage when taken as a food supplement.

EFSA’s determination was based on studies that revealed a statistically significant increase of serum transaminases, which are indicative of liver injury, in subjects given EGCG supplements.

Final Words

The recommended dose of green tea extract is 250–500 mg a day, and it’s best taken with food. Amounts above this may be toxic. It’s always good to speak with a healthcare professional so they can help you decide the appropriate amount of green tea extract is for you.

References:

1. GREEN TEA: Overview, uses, side effects, precautions, interactions, dosing and reviews. (n.d.). https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-960/green-tea.
2. Hu, J., Webster, D., Cao, J., & Shao, A. (2018). The safety of green tea and green tea extract consumption in adults - Results of a systematic review. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP, 95, 412–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2018.03.019.
3. Chow, H. H., Hakim, I. A., Vining, D. R., Crowell, J. A., Ranger-Moore, J., Chew, W. M., Celaya, C. A., Rodney, S. R., Hara, Y., & Alberts, D. S. (2005). Effects of dosing condition on the oral bioavailability of green tea catechins after single-dose administration of Polyphenon E in healthy individuals. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, 11(12), 4627–4633. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-04-2549.
4. Patel, S. S., Beer, S., Kearney, D. L., Phillips, G., & Carter, B. A. (2013). Green tea extract: a potential cause of acute liver failure. World journal of gastroenterology, 19(31), 5174–5177. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v19.i31.5174.
5. Hu, J., Webster, D., Cao, J., & Shao, A. (2018). The safety of green tea and green tea extract consumption in adults - Results of a systematic review. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP, 95, 412–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2018.03.019.
6. European Food Safety Authority. (2018). Scientific opinion on the safety of green tea catechins. European Food Safety Authority. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/5239.