White Tea Consumption Alleviates Anthropometric and Metabolic Parameters in Obese Patients

Background and Objectives: Obesity and related disorders are an increasing global health problem. Achieving and maintaining long-term weight loss through lifestyle changes and/or pharmacological interventions have not met expectations. Dietary supplements and alternative treatments have also shown limited effectiveness in this regard. The consumption of green tea in general has been shown to benefit obese patients, with effects attributed to caffeine, catechins, polyphenols and other components. However, the potential of white tea to prevent and treat the negative effects of obesity has not been addressed so far. In this study, the effect of white tea (WT) consumption in obese individuals was anthropometrically and biochemically investigated. Materials and Methods: Based on anthropometric and biochemical assessments, the patients were assigned to the control, orlistat, metformin and WT groups. Patients were given a diet and exercise program and one of either orlistat, metformin or WT for 12 weeks. At the end of the 12th week, the anthropometric and biochemical measurements were reassessed. Results: Body weight, waist circumference and BMI parameters decreased significantly in all groups. TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and MMP-9 levels decreased significantly in the WT group. In addition, contrary to a significant elevation in HDL-C, the serum cholesterol, LDL-C and TG levels decreased significantly. Furthermore, leptin, ghrelin and asprosin levels decreased significantly. Serum glucose levels decreased significantly in all groups except for the control. In the WT group, while there was a significant decrease in the levels of serum PL MDA and 8-OHdG, the opposite was true for GSH. Conclusions: The oral consumption of WT, its availability and its potency in obesity treatment and prevention pave the way for further delineation of the mechanisms of actions of its bioactive compounds at the cellular and endocrinological levels.