Recently a study about the effects of green tea extract on blood glucose control was conducted in the Far East. The study was conducted over a four month period in the following manner. The participants include both men and women who showed elevated blood glucose levels prior to the start of the study. The volunteers were divided into two groups such that one group drank a supplement of green tea extract every day for two months and then ceased taking the supplement for two months. The second group followed the same schedule but in reverse order. Prior to the initiation of the study all the volunteers were borderline diabetics or prediabetic. Their blood glucose levels measured at the start of the study provided the baseline against which any changes would be compared. The blood glucose levels were measured using the hemoglobin A1c levels.
The first group that started taking the green tea extract saw a reduction in their hemoglobin A1c levels. This group started at a baseline of 6.2% which declined to 5.9% after two months. Their levels continued to decline to 5.8% after two more months during which time they did not supplement with the green tea extract. For the second group that delayed two months before starting to take the green tea extract the results were nearly as good with the hemoglobin levels coming in at 6.1%, 6.1% and 5.9%. Healthy hemoglobin levels range from 4% to 5.9%, so supplementing with green tea extract modulated the long-term control of blood glucose. This is good news for seniors who are concerned about their senior health in regard to controlling their blood glucose levels and avoiding diabetes.