Green Tea Extract (EGCG)
The primary active polyphenol in green tea. May enhance fat oxidation and metabolism synergistically with caffeine; also studied for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
An ingredient with growing research
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Effects reported in research
May increase resting energy expenditure when combined with caffeine
Some studies report increased fat oxidation rates
Potent antioxidant contributing to oxidative stress reduction
Dosage & timing
- 400–500 mg/day as EGCG.
- Synergistic effect expected when combined with caffeine.
Cautions
- •High-dose (800+ mg/day) long-term use has been associated with hepatotoxicity.
- •Take with food to reduce GI discomfort.
- •Avoid double-dosing caffeine with caffeinated products.
Supporting research
Caffeine ingestion improves muscular strength and power (meta-analysis)
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2018
Pooling RCTs, caffeine produced small but significant improvements in maximal strength and power. Effect sizes were modest and influenced by individual variation and tolerance.
Meta-analysis of curcumin supplementation on exercise-induced inflammation and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015
A meta-analysis of RCTs examining the effects of curcumin supplementation on post-exercise inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α) and muscle soreness (DOMS). Curcumin significantly reduced inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway and significantly reduced muscle soreness scores at 24–48 hours post-exercise. However, the bioavailability of curcumin alone is very low (~1%), and co-administration with piperine (black pepper component) is known to increase absorption approximately 20-fold.
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