The sometimes-deadly syndrome, also known as insulin-resistance syndrome, involves high levels of abdominal fat, bad cholesterol, high blood pressure and abnormal glucose metabolism. It is generally treated with a prescription of weight loss, exercise and a healthy diet.

However, researchers from the pharmaceutical company Pharmanex said that a substance known as “Tegreen” improves glucose and lipid metabolism in obese rats that bear similar features to Metabolic Syndrome X.

In addition, the team of researchers said that Tegreen, which contains in excess of 65 per cent tea catechins, also appears to enhance insulin sensitivity and fat burning, and decrease fat deposits.

The researchers looked at 44 female rats fed a normal or high-calorie diet. The rodents on the high-calorie diet were treated with a high dose (0.75g) or low dose (0.25g) of Tegreen.

After 56 days the rats on the high-calorie diet without Tegreen revealed metabolic changes such as an increase in adipose tissue, reduced insulin sensitivity or insulin resistance and other effects that suggested they had developed Metabolism Syndrome X.

However, rats given Tegreen were discovered to have a decrease in abdominal adipose fat, which was greater in those rodents receiving high doses than in the low-dose group.

In addition, the Tegreen groups displayed increased insulin sensitivity, suggesting that the administration of the compound affects “one of the pathological root causes” of Metabolic Syndrome X.

The findings were presented at the Experimental Biology 2003 conference (April 11-April 15) in San Diego, California.

Source: American Physiological Society

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