PRESERVING A HEALTHY
A1C WITH GREEN TEA
The Possible Benefits of Green Tea in a Patient with Concerns
of Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes
Research Methods
Green tea is one of the most archaic beverages in history with its origins all the
way back in ancient China. Be that as it may, this beverage has achieved popularity in
virtually every country and every time period since its discovery. Green tea is commonly
known as a healthy beverage with innumerable benefits. There is a wealth of research on
the medicinal benefits associated with drinking green tea. This paper will answer the
following question: What are the possible benefits of consuming green tea in a patient
with a family history of type II diabetes mellitus who wants to take proactive steps
toward preventing the onset of type II diabetes mellitus without having to resort to
medication? Answering this question has the potential to give diabetes-susceptible
patients more lifestyle options to reduce their risks of the pathologies associated with
metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes mellitus.
Patient Case
Patient is a 36-year-old female who presents for her yearly wellness check. She
has no complaints today. Her last visit was 12 months ago, and she states that all of her
labs were normal and that she is up to date on all of her vaccinations. She reports that she
is concerned about the possibility of getting type II diabetes mellitus because it runs in
her family. She reported that her father and paternal grandfather both have type II
diabetes mellitus. She stated that she heard that drinking green tea can protect her from
getting type II diabetes mellitus and can even reverse the condition. She wanted to know
if that was true because she does not want to get diabetes. Patient denies weight gain,
polydipsia, polyuria, and polyphagia. Patient stated that she exercises 5-6 days a week for
at least 30 minutes. Patient also stated that she drinks socially with friends once or twice
a month. She has no other significant medical history and has been a lifelong nonsmoker.
On physical exam, patient is a well-developed, thin female in no apparent distress.
There are no abnormal physical exam findings. Her total cholesterol is slightly elevated
total cholesterol with an LDL of 89 mg/dL, an HDL of 75 mg/dL, and a triglyceride level
of 130 mg/dL, giving her a total cholesterol of 190 mg/dL.
Review of Literature
The article titled, “Green Tea’s Neuroprotection Benefits” gave a detailed description of
the neuroprotective properties of green tea and its extracts. Even though, this article did
not specifically examine the effects of green tea on diabetes, it did include information
about cardiovascular health. This article discussed the cardiovascular benefits of
consuming green tea and its extracts. It also discussed the neuroprotective properties
associated with the cardiovascular benefits such as stroke prevention.1
The article titled, “Heart: Green Tea and Your Heart” also described the cardiovascular
benefits associated with drinking green tea in patients who have already suffered heart
attacks and strokes. The research in this study showed that cardiovascular risks (diabetics
for example) can be decreased substantially by drinking green tea.2
The article titled, “Green Tea and Coffee Linked to Lower Death Risks in Diabetes
Patients” provided a wealth of information on the ways in which drinking green tea
(along with other healthy lifestyle modifications) can lower the risks of mortality from
type II diabetes-related pathologies through its wealth of bioactive compounds. The
researchers involved with this study tracked nearly 5,000 diabetic patients on how much
green tea they drank along with other lifestyle factors.3
The article titled, “Green Tea Extract Improves Gut Health, Diminishes Risks Associated
with Metabolic Syndrome” provides information on green tea’s potential to improve gut
health, lower cholesterol and glucose levels, and prevent and/or reverse metabolic
syndrome. The results were deduced by a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
study with 40 contributors (21 of whom had metabolic syndrome and 19 of whom were
the healthy individuals).4
Clinical Application
There is a surplus of research that suggests that green tea has cardioprotective
properties. Cardiovascular complications are one of the most dangerous and most
prominent complications associated with type II diabetes mellitus. According to Cannon,
the consumption of green tea has not only impressive cardiovascular health benefits. Said
benefits actually have the capacity to prevent cardiovascular-related neurological
pathologies such as stroke and coronary artery disease.1 Additionally, higher levels of
green tea consumption have been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular pathology
in at-risk patients by up to 62%.2
Studies have also shown that the consumption of green tea (in conjunction with
healthy lifestyle modification such as exercise and diet modification) lowers the risks of
mortality in both the healthy population and in individuals with type II diabetes. Green
tea’s ability to have these effects is like a result of its variety of bioactive compounds
which provide a complex collection of benefits that the scientific community does not yet
fully comprehend.3 Another notable benefit of the consumption of green tea is its effects
on gut health and metabolism. Green tea has proven so successful in this area that it is
even considered to possibly have the capacity to reverse metabolic syndrome.4 Possible
roadblocks to applying the evidence of green tea’s benefits are patient preference,
lifestyle and diet compliance, and adverse reactions to green tea or its components.
Conclusion
All of the research strongly suggests that there is a noteworthy and impressive collection
of benefits associated with the consumption of green tea as well as its extracts. The
possible benefits of consuming green tea in an effort to prevent type II diabetes mellitus
include increased cardiovascular health (even in patients with cardiovascular risk
factors), improved metabolism. These finding can be of use when recommending lifestyle
interventions for patients at risk for type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurological
disease and a plethora of other pathologies that were not covered in this paper.
References
1. Cannon S. Green tea's neuroprotection benefits. Life extension. 2021;52(9):52.
2. Bakalar N. Heart: green tea and your heart.(science desk). The new york times.
2021;D6(l).
3. Green tea and coffee linked to lower death risk in diabetes patients: the drinks offer
surprising health benefits for this high-risk patient group.(alternative medicine). Duke
medicine health news. 2021;27(2):7.
4. Salvaryn GI. Green tea extract improves gut health, diminishes risks associated with
metabolic syndrome. Healio gastroenterology. 2022;8(10):26-26.
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