Previous studies have shown that green tea (Camellia sinensis) exerts cardioprotective benefits.  Arpita Basu, from Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma, USA), and colleagues enrolled 35 obese men and women (BMI of approximately 35-37 kg/m2), in their early 40s, in an eight-week study during which subjects drank green tea (4 cups per day), consumed green tea extract (2 capsules and 4 cups of water per day), or received no treatment (4 cups of water daily). Both the beverage and extract groups had similar dosing of epigallocatechin-3-gallate, the active green tea polyphenol.  Assessing fasting blood samples at the study’s start, mid-way, and at the conclusion, the researchers found that both green tea beverage and extracts significantly reduced plasma serum amyloid alpha, as compared to no treatment consumed.  Acknowledging that: “daily consumption of green tea beverage or extracts for 8 [weeks] was well tolerated but did not affect the features of metabolic syndrome,” the team concludes that: “Green tea significantly reduced plasma serum amyloid alpha, an independent cardiovascular disease risk factor, in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome.”