Green Tea: Antioxidant vs. Pro-Oxidant Activity

Green tea is one of the most consumed beverages globally. It is very popular due to its specific taste, energizing effect and some health benefits related mainly to the catechins content. Green tea catechins possess antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity as well as red...

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Main Authors: Stanila Stoeva, Nadezhda Hvarchanova, Kaloyan D. Georgiev, Maya Radeva-Ilieva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Beverages
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/11/3/64
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author Stanila Stoeva
Nadezhda Hvarchanova
Kaloyan D. Georgiev
Maya Radeva-Ilieva
author_facet Stanila Stoeva
Nadezhda Hvarchanova
Kaloyan D. Georgiev
Maya Radeva-Ilieva
author_sort Stanila Stoeva
collection DOAJ
description Green tea is one of the most consumed beverages globally. It is very popular due to its specific taste, energizing effect and some health benefits related mainly to the catechins content. Green tea catechins possess antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity as well as reduce body weight. One of the major and well-studied effects of green tea catechins is their antioxidant effect. However, long-term administration of high doses of antioxidants may result in a pro-oxidant effect and promote cell damage. Therefore, beneficial effects of green tea are directly related to the administered dose of catechins. But it should be noted that consumption of large quantities of green tea beverages or administration of high doses of green tea catechins does not guarantee health benefits and may even lead to adverse effects. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge of the antioxidant and pro-oxidant activity of green tea catechins as well as research gaps that require further investigation. In conclusion, despite green tea antioxidant potential, further research is needed to fully understand the benefits and risks associated with the consumption of green tea beverages as well as green tea catechins in different forms and doses.
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series Beverages
spelling doaj-art-f0e80f2295dc47a890e69422cf4ea6072025-08-20T03:26:10ZengMDPI AGBeverages2306-57102025-05-011136410.3390/beverages11030064Green Tea: Antioxidant vs. Pro-Oxidant ActivityStanila Stoeva0Nadezhda Hvarchanova1Kaloyan D. Georgiev2Maya Radeva-Ilieva3Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University—Varna, 84 “Tsar Osvoboditel” Blvd., 9000 Varna, BulgariaDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University—Varna, 84 “Tsar Osvoboditel” Blvd., 9000 Varna, BulgariaDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University—Varna, 84 “Tsar Osvoboditel” Blvd., 9000 Varna, BulgariaDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University—Varna, 84 “Tsar Osvoboditel” Blvd., 9000 Varna, BulgariaGreen tea is one of the most consumed beverages globally. It is very popular due to its specific taste, energizing effect and some health benefits related mainly to the catechins content. Green tea catechins possess antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity as well as reduce body weight. One of the major and well-studied effects of green tea catechins is their antioxidant effect. However, long-term administration of high doses of antioxidants may result in a pro-oxidant effect and promote cell damage. Therefore, beneficial effects of green tea are directly related to the administered dose of catechins. But it should be noted that consumption of large quantities of green tea beverages or administration of high doses of green tea catechins does not guarantee health benefits and may even lead to adverse effects. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge of the antioxidant and pro-oxidant activity of green tea catechins as well as research gaps that require further investigation. In conclusion, despite green tea antioxidant potential, further research is needed to fully understand the benefits and risks associated with the consumption of green tea beverages as well as green tea catechins in different forms and doses.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/11/3/64green teacatechinsepigallocatechin-3-gallateantioxidantpro-oxidanthepatotoxicity
spellingShingle Stanila Stoeva
Nadezhda Hvarchanova
Kaloyan D. Georgiev
Maya Radeva-Ilieva
Green Tea: Antioxidant vs. Pro-Oxidant Activity
Beverages
green tea
catechins
epigallocatechin-3-gallate
antioxidant
pro-oxidant
hepatotoxicity
title Green Tea: Antioxidant vs. Pro-Oxidant Activity
title_full Green Tea: Antioxidant vs. Pro-Oxidant Activity
title_fullStr Green Tea: Antioxidant vs. Pro-Oxidant Activity
title_full_unstemmed Green Tea: Antioxidant vs. Pro-Oxidant Activity
title_short Green Tea: Antioxidant vs. Pro-Oxidant Activity
title_sort green tea antioxidant vs pro oxidant activity
topic green tea
catechins
epigallocatechin-3-gallate
antioxidant
pro-oxidant
hepatotoxicity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/11/3/64
work_keys_str_mv AT stanilastoeva greenteaantioxidantvsprooxidantactivity
AT nadezhdahvarchanova greenteaantioxidantvsprooxidantactivity
AT kaloyandgeorgiev greenteaantioxidantvsprooxidantactivity
AT mayaradevailieva greenteaantioxidantvsprooxidantactivity