A study published in Clinical Research in Cardiology (March 2010) examined the effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)—a polyphenol from green tea—in patients with cardiac amyloidosis.
The study followed 59 patients with amyloidosis involving the heart. Participants were divided into two groups: one consumed green tea regularly, while the control group did not. Patients in the green tea group showed reduced thickening of the heart wall, a decrease in left ventricular mass, and improved cardiac function, as measured by increased left ventricular ejection fraction. No such improvements were observed in the control group.
The authors suggested that EGCG may interfere with amyloid fibril formation, potentially limiting further protein deposition in cardiac tissue.
