Effects of timing of acute catechin-rich green tea ingestion on postprandial glucose metabolism in healthy men.

Green tea polyphenols, particularly catechins, decrease fasting and postprandial glucose. However, no studies have compared the timing of green tea ingestion on glucose metabolism and changes in catechin concentrations. Here, we examined the effects of timing of acute catechin-rich green tea ingestion on postprandial glucose metabolism in young men. Seventeen healthy young men completed four trials involving blood collection in a fasting state and at 30, 60, 120, and 180 min after meal consumption in a random order: 1) morning placebo trial (09:00 h; MP trial), 2) evening placebo trial (17:00 h; EP trial), 3) morning catechin-rich green tea trial (09:00 h; MGT trial), and 4) evening catechin-rich green tea trial (17:00 h; EGT trial). The concentrations of glucose at 120 min (P=.031) and 180 min (P=.013) after meal intake were significantly higher in the MGT trials than in the MP trials. Additionally, the concentration of glucose was significantly lower in EGT trials than in the EP trials at 60 min (P=.014). Moreover, the concentrations of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide were significantly lower in the green tea trials than in the placebo trials at 30 min (morning: P=.010, evening: P=.006) and 60 min (morning: P=.001, evening: P=.006) after meal intake in both the morning and evening trials. Our study demonstrated that acute ingestion of catechin-rich green tea in the evening reduced postprandial plasma glucose concentrations.

Acute ingestion of catechin-rich green tea improves postprandial glucose status and increases serum thioredoxin concentrations in postmenopausal women.

Elevated postprandial hyperglycaemia and oxidative stress increase the risks of type 2 diabetes and CVD. Green tea catechin possesses antidiabetic properties and antioxidant capacity. In the present study, we examined the acute and continuous effects of ingestion of catechin-rich green tea on postprandial hyperglycaemia and oxidative stress in healthy postmenopausal women. Participants were randomly assigned into the placebo (P, n 11) or green tea (GT, n 11) group. The GT group consumed a catechin-rich green tea (catechins 615 mg/350 ml) beverage per d for 4 weeks. The P group consumed a placebo (catechins 92 mg/350 ml) beverage per d for 4 weeks. At baseline and after 4 weeks, participants of each group consumed their designated beverages with breakfast and consumed lunch 3 h after breakfast. Venous blood samples were collected in the fasted state (0 h) and at 2, 4 and 6 h after breakfast. Postprandial glucose concentrations were 3 % lower in the GT group than in the P group (three-factor ANOVA, group × time interaction, P< 0·05). Serum concentrations of the derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites increased after meals (P< 0·05), but no effect of catechin-rich green tea intake was observed. Conversely, serum postprandial thioredoxin concentrations were 5 % higher in the GT group than in the P group (three-factor ANOVA, group × time interaction, P< 0·05). These findings indicate that an acute ingestion of catechin-rich green tea has beneficial effects on postprandial glucose and redox homeostasis in postmenopausal women.