4. Discussion
obesity, abdominal pain, intrauterine insemination, Down’s syndrome, hepatotoxicity, liver disease, jaundice, alcohol abuse, fibroids, type 2 diabetes
OBESITY, STILL, LIVER DISEASE, FIBROIDS, TYPE 2 DIABETES, PROSTATE CANCER
Green tea is one of the world’s most commonly consumed beverage [In this study, we aimed to explore the safety profile of EGCG in healthy young women. Previously, some concerns had been raised in observational studies regarding a possible connection between green tea extract consumption and hepatotoxicity. Such studies suffered from several limitations, such as small participant numbers and supra-pharmacological doses of EGCG (greater than 800 mg/day), and were also performed in persons with Down’s syndrome, 56% males, post-menopausal women, patients with prostate cancer, and patients with type 2 diabetes [Our study analysis is in accordance with the results of a previous one month long randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial, in which 40 healthy male and female participants (≥18 years of age) received 800 mg of EGCG once daily or 400 mg of EGCG twice daily in the form of pure EGCG or Polyphenon E [In 2018, following a request from the European Commission to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the Scientific Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) was asked to provide a scientific opinion on the safety of green tea catechins [The United States Pharmacopeia has also updated its ongoing review on the safety of green tea extracts and has included a cautionary labeling requirement in its Powdered Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract monograph that reads “Do not take on an empty stomach. Take with food. Do not use if you have a liver problem and discontinue use and consult a healthcare practitioner if you develop symptoms of liver trouble, such as abdominal pain, dark urine, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).” [Moreover, measurement of the mid-cycle endometrium thickness revealed a range between 5.7 mm and 12 mm, and the mean was higher than 8.0 mm for all subgroups. This was reassuring since planned studies will use EGCG in intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles with ovarian stimulation. Nevertheless, the effect of endometrial thickness during ovarian stimulation with IUI has been previously difficult to elucidate clearly. Still, the general consensus in the literature is that, although average women who conceive have a thicker endometrium, no significant association can be found [The limitation of this study may be that it was not restricted to women with fibroids. Additionally, the study participants were in relatively good health and had no major comorbidities. Likewise, women with a previously known liver disease, binge drinkers, or women with a history of alcohol abuse, which is defined as more than 14 drinks per week, were excluded from the study to avoid potential confounding effects of liver disease and alcohol on liver enzymes. There may be other variables that could influence the observed effect of green tea extract on liver enzymes such as obesity [