Cardiovascular diseases(CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide.
Evidence from observational and randomized controlled studies showing
the potential benefits of green tea on lowering CVD risk has been
emerging rapidly during the past few decades.These benefits include
reduced risk for major cardiovascular events, lowering of blood
pressure, decreased LDL cholesterollevels and weight loss.At the same
time, the understanding of physiological mechamismsbehind these
alterations is advancing.Consumption of green tea originates from China
thousands of years ago, but has since expanded all over the world.Recent
advances in understanding the role of tea polyphenols, mainly
catechins,as mediators of tea's health benefits has caused an emergence
of various types of green teaextracts(GTE) on the market. While drinking
green tea is generally considered safe, there are concerns about
thesafety of using tea extracts. The present article reviews the current
evidence of green tea consumption leading to reducedCVD risk, the
phenomenon's potential biological mechanisms and the safety of using
GTE.