Why green tea compound stops a body enzyme from working
Molecular modelling study of the mechanism of high-potency inhibition of human catechol-O-methyltransferase by (–)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
EGCG is an ultra-potent inhibitor but a poor substrate—despite binding tightly, it resists being methylated.
Normally, molecules that bind tightly to enzymes are good substrates. EGCG breaks this rule: it clamps on hard but can’t be processed, which is counterintuitive.
Practical Takeaways
Drink green tea if you want to potentially support longer-lasting neurotransmitters like adrenaline or dopamine.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
EGCG is an ultra-potent inhibitor but a poor substrate—despite binding tightly, it resists being methylated.
Normally, molecules that bind tightly to enzymes are good substrates. EGCG breaks this rule: it clamps on hard but can’t be processed, which is counterintuitive.
Practical Takeaways
Drink green tea if you want to potentially support longer-lasting neurotransmitters like adrenaline or dopamine.
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Claims (6)
The green tea compound EGCG slows down a body enzyme that normally breaks down adrenaline, so your adrenaline sticks around longer and might keep you feeling more alert.
Even though EGCG (a compound in green tea) sticks really well to a human enzyme that adds methyl groups, its shape doesn’t line up right with the tiny magnesium ion the enzyme needs to work—so it can’t be properly methylated, making it a bad fit for the job.
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.
A compound in green tea called EGCG slows down a human enzyme that modifies estrogen, but it doesn’t block the enzyme’s main working spot—it sticks somewhere else to mess with how it works.
Scientists think a compound in green tea called EGCG can stick to a human enzyme in four different ways, using four special parts of its structure that love to grab onto the enzyme like tiny magnets.