Green Tea Extract & Kidney Health: Benefits & Research

Green tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world and has been touted as a healthy drink that is beneficial for a wide variety of health concerns, from cancer to heart disease. Recently, scientific studies have found that green tea may have several direct benefits for the kidneys as well.

Function

• The kidneys' primary function is to eliminate excess fluids and waste from your body. If they become damaged, they may lose this ability and excess waste can build up.

Effects

• In a study published in Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2004, by Takako Nakagawa and a team of researchers, a green tea extract was found to suppress the production of toxic substances in rats with kidney failure.

Benefits

• A study published in The Journal of Urology in 2005, by Yasunori Itoh and a team of researchers, found that green tea decreased the calcium-oxalate deposit formation that leads to the formation of kidney stones.

Significance

• In both of the cited studies, the researchers attribute green tea's effects on the kidneys to its potent antioxidant compounds.

Warning

• Green tea contains a moderate amount of caffeine, which can cause such side effects as nervousness, headache and sleep problems.