Green tea catechin plus caffeine supplementation to a high-protein diet has no additional effect on body weight maintenance after weight loss.
BACKGROUND
Green tea (epigallocatechin gallate + caffeine) and protein each were shown to improve body weight maintenance after weight loss.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated the effect of a green tea-caffeine mixture added to a high-protein (HP) diet on weight maintenance (WM) after body weight loss in moderately obese subjects.


METHODS
A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind parallel trial was conducted in 80 overweight and moderately obese subjects [age (mean +/- SD): 44 +/- 2 y; body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)): 29.6 +/- 2.0] matched for sex, age, BMI, height, body mass, and with a habitually low caffeine intake. A very-low-energy diet intervention during 4 wk was followed by 3 mo of WM; during the WM period, the subjects received a green tea-caffeine mixture (270 mg epigallocatechin gallate + 150 mg caffeine/d) or placebo, both in addition to an adequate protein (AP) diet (50-60 g protein/d) or an HP diet (100-120 g protein/d).


RESULTS
Subjects lost 7.0 +/- 1.6 kg, or 8.2 +/- 2.0%, body weight (P < 0.001). During the WM phase, WM, resting energy expenditure, and fat-free mass (FFM) increased relatively in both the HP groups and in the AP + green tea-caffeine mixture group (P < 0.05), whereas respiratory quotient and body fat mass decreased, all compared with the AP + placebo group. Satiety increased only in both HP groups (P < 0.05). The green tea-caffeine mixture was only effective with the AP diet.


CONCLUSIONS
The green tea-caffeine mixture, as well as the HP diet, improved WM independently through thermogenesis, fat oxidation, sparing FFM, and, for the HP diet, satiety; a possible synergistic effect failed to appear.
Hursel
Rick
R
Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. rick.hursel@hb.unimaas.nl
Westerterp-Plantenga
Margriet S
MS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002392:Catechin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005990:Glycerol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013662:Tea; D022722:Thermogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D013662:Tea; D014280:Triglycerides; D002110:Caffeine; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate; D005990:Glycerol