When you drink green tea, your liver uses a special enzyme called COMT to change two of its key compounds—EGCG and EGC—into slightly different forms, and scientists have seen this happen in test tubes using liver fluid from humans, mice, and rats.

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Pro

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Community contributions welcome

20

Enzymology of methylation of tea catechins and inhibition of catechol-O-methyltransferase by (-)-epigallocatechin gallate.

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2003 May

The study showed that the green tea chemicals EGCG and EGC get changed by a liver enzyme called COMT in humans, mice, and rats — exactly what the claim says.

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Enzymology of methylation of tea catechins and inhibition of catechol-O-methyltransferase by (-)-epigallocatechin gallate.

Score: 20

DOI: 10.1124/DMD.31.5.572

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A compound in green tea called EGCG is way better than other similar compounds at blocking an enzyme in the body that modifies estrogen, making it hundreds of times more effective at doing this job.

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