Is green tea fat burner safe?

Applied Nutrition Green Tea Fat Burner has been in the news a lot recently over whether it is a safe supplement and/or diet pill. You can buy it just about anywhere from Walmart to Costco, but is it safe?

In 2013, doctors blamed the Fat Burner for causing acute liver failure in a 16-year old boy in Houston, Texas. The boy was overweight and taking multiple vitamins and supplements.

His regime included Green Tea Fat Burner , GNC Mega Men Sport, whey protein powder, and Nopal cactus pills.

Although he was taking the recommended dosage of 2 pills a day (equaling 400 mg of EGCG), doctors pointed to the green tea extract as the cause. He took the Fat Burner everyday for 2 months before being admitted to the hospital.

So what is Green Tea Fat Burner?

According to the Applied Nutrition website, it increases calorie burning by kick-starting your fat burning ability.

The daily dosage of 2 pills contains 400 mg of EGCG and 160 mg of caffeine, which makes it a very potent supplement. To compare, a glass of green tea has around 80 mg of EGCG and 10 – 25 mg of caffeine.

The pills also contain a lot of other ingredients, including titanium dioxide.

Titanium Dioxide

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified titanium dioxide as “possible carcinogenic to humans” and was added to California’s list of chemicals known to cause cancer in 2011.

Scientists in Slovenia found titanium dioxide to cause cell damage, genotoxicity, inflammation, and an altered immune response.

Despite these research studies, titanium dioxide is used as a whitener in toothpaste, in vitamins and supplements, and even in food.

In food it can be labeled as E171 or natural coloring. It is used to whiten food or thicken the texture such as in cheese, cream, sauce, and low-fat milk and ice cream.

Even though its use is widespread, there are not any studies being conducted to find out its long-term effects on oral exposure.

Conclusion

The reviews online seem to be about 50/50. Some people mention losing weight using the pills, others say it didn’t do anything.

Green tea, itself, does have thermogenic properties, which can help in weight loss. And, the caffeine works together with the EGCG to burn fat, which is where the idea of the diet pill probably originated.

But high doses of caffeine will only promote initial weight loss. Once your body gets used to the level of caffeine, it will start to block the positive effects of the green tea.

So, this is definitely not a diet pill you want to take for an extended period of time. Instead I would recommend just drinking a delicious glass or two of green tea. If you really want to take a pill, try a lower potency green tea extract.

Remember to consult your physician when thinking about taking Applied Nutrition’s Fat Burner or other dietary supplements for weight loss. There is not one supplement that is right for all body types and conditions.

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