{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T14:43:11Z","timestamp":1789051391728,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]],"date-time":"2026-01-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767225600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100001774","name":"New Jersey Health Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["#PC 149-23"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["#PC 149-23"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100001774","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"National Institutes of Health\/National Cancer Institute","award":["#RO1 CA127236"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["#RO1 CA127236"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Excess adiposity induces low-grade inflammation, including increased C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-\u03b1). Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), with anti-inflammatory potential. EGCG metabolism is influenced by individual variations in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotypes. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of green tea extract (GTE) supplementation on circulating inflammatory cytokines among postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity and differing COMT genotypes. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of a random subset (N = 97) from the Minnesota Green Tea Trial (MGTT), a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial. The intervention was a high-dose GTE supplement (843 \u00b1 44 mg EGCG\/day) or placebo for 1 year. Serum CRP, TNF-\u03b1, and IL-6 were measured at 0, 6, and 12 months. Absolute changes in inflammatory cytokines from baseline to month 12 were evaluated using linear mixed-effects models adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), smoking history, physical activity, and vitamin supplement use. Results: The changes from month 0 to month 12 were not statistically different between the groups for any of the inflammatory cytokines measured. The overall treatment effect was not statistically significant for CRP (p = 0.24), IL-6 (p = 0.59), TNF-\u03b1 (p = 0.36), nor for the interaction between treatment group and time (all Ps &gt; 0.40). There was no significant interaction between treatment group and COMT genotype for the stated markers. Conclusions: A high-dose GTE supplement consumed daily for one year did not significantly decrease inflammatory cytokines among postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity. The COMT genotype did not modify the effects of GTE supplementation on inflammatory cytokines. Future studies with a larger sample size among those at high risk of systemic inflammation are warranted.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu18010143","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]],"date-time":"2026-01-02T09:18:56Z","timestamp":1767345536000},"page":"143","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Effects of Green Tea Extract Supplementation on Inflammatory Cytokines Among Postmenopausal Women with Overweight or Obesity\u2014A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-9942-2267","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anca","family":"Cunningham","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences, School of Health Professions, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0525-4459","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Allison","family":"Gomes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences, School of Health Professions, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2020-4719","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lingqiong","family":"Meng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ 85724, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3128-2325","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sue","family":"Shapses","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, Rutgers RWJ Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0316-2086","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura","family":"Byham-Gray","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences, School of Health Professions, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3545-1712","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hamed","family":"Samavat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences, School of Health Professions, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"National Cancer Institute (2025, December 07). Obesity and Cancer, Available online: https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/about-cancer\/causes-prevention\/risk\/obesity\/obesity-fact-sheet#how-many-cancer-cases-may-be-due-to-obesity."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dannenberg, A.J., and Berger, N.A. (2013). Obesity, Inflammation, and Cancer, Springer. [1st ed.].","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4614-6819-6"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"851","DOI":"10.5114\/aoms.2016.58928","article-title":"Obesity and inflammation: The linking mechanism and the complications","volume":"13","author":"Ellulu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Arch. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1016\/j.immuni.2019.06.025","article-title":"Inflammation and Cancer: Triggers, Mechanisms, and Consequences","volume":"51","author":"Greten","year":"2019","journal-title":"Immunity"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"C375","DOI":"10.1152\/ajpcell.00379.2020","article-title":"Adipose tissue inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in obesity","volume":"320","author":"Kawai","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kehm, R.D., McDonald, J.A., Fenton, S.E., Kavanaugh-Lynch, M., Leung, K.A., McKenzie, K.E., Mandelblatt, J.S., and Terry, M.B. (2020). Inflammatory Biomarkers and Breast Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review of the Evidence and Future Potential for Intervention Research. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17155445"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yu, Y., Tan, T., Yang, W., Xu, Z., and Liu, Y. (2024). Association between the systemic immune-inflammation index and obesity among adults: Insights from the NHANES 2017\u20132018. PLoS ONE, 19.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0308288"},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"e22711","article-title":"Obesity: A Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation and Its Markers","volume":"14","author":"Khanna","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kurylowicz, A. (2023). Estrogens in Adipose Tissue Physiology and Obesity-Related Dysfunction. Biomedicines, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/biomedicines11030690"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"289645","DOI":"10.1155\/2010\/289645","article-title":"Chronic inflammation in obesity and the metabolic syndrome","volume":"2010","author":"Monteiro","year":"2010","journal-title":"Mediat. Inflamm."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1093\/intimm\/dxaa078","article-title":"IL-6 in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer","volume":"33","author":"Hirano","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vitale, E., Rizzo, A., Santa, K., and Jirillo, E. (2024). Associations between \u201cCancer Risk\u201d, \u201cInflammation\u201d and \u201cMetabolic Syndrome\u201d: A Scoping Review. Biology, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/biology13050352"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Garcia-Estevez, L., Cortes, J., Perez, S., Calvo, I., Gallegos, I., and Moreno-Bueno, G. (2021). Obesity and Breast Cancer: A Paradoxical and Controversial Relationship Influenced by Menopausal Status. Front. Oncol., 11.","DOI":"10.3389\/fonc.2021.705911"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gendis.2019.09.006","article-title":"Obesity as potential breast cancer risk factor for postmenopausal women","volume":"8","author":"Mohanty","year":"2021","journal-title":"Genes Dis."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1807","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bcp.2011.07.093","article-title":"Green tea catechin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG): Mechanisms, perspectives and clinical applications","volume":"82","author":"Singh","year":"2011","journal-title":"Biochem. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zeng, L., Holly, J.M., and Perks, C.M. (2014). Effects of physiological levels of the green tea extract epigallocatechin-3-gallate on breast cancer cells. Front. Endocrinol., 5.","DOI":"10.3389\/fendo.2014.00061"},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"American Cancer Society (2025, December 07). Body Weight and Cancer Risk. Available online: https:\/\/www.cancer.org\/cancer\/risk-prevention\/diet-physical-activity\/body-weight-and-cancer-risk.html."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"American Institute for Cancer Research (2017). Breast-Cancer-Report-2017, American Institute for Cancer Research."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"611","DOI":"10.1001\/jamaoncol.2015.1546","article-title":"Overweight, Obesity, and Postmenopausal Invasive Breast Cancer Risk: A Secondary Analysis of the Women\u2019s Health Initiative Randomized Clinical Trials","volume":"1","author":"Neuhouser","year":"2015","journal-title":"JAMA Oncol."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"583","article-title":"Green tea supplementation improves oxidative stress biomarkers and modulates IL-6 circulating levels in obese women","volume":"36","author":"Noronha","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nutr. Hosp."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rondanelli, M., Gasparri, C., Perna, S., Petrangolini, G., Allegrini, P., Fazia, T., Bernardinelli, L., Cavioni, A., Mansueto, F., and Oberto, L. (2022). A 60-Day Green Tea Extract Supplementation Counteracts the Dysfunction of Adipose Tissue in Overweight Post-Menopausal and Class I Obese Women. Nutrients, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu14245209"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"747","DOI":"10.1002\/ptr.5795","article-title":"The Impact of Green Tea Supplementation on Anthropometric Indices and Inflammatory Cytokines in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome","volume":"31","author":"Mombaini","year":"2017","journal-title":"Phytother. Res."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"CD005004","article-title":"Green tea (Camellia sinensis) for the prevention of cancer","volume":"3","author":"Filippini","year":"2020","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst. Rev."},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"225","article-title":"Mechanistic findings of green tea as cancer preventive for humans","volume":"220","author":"Fujiki","year":"1999","journal-title":"Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Oh, J.W., Muthu, M., Pushparaj, S.S.C., and Gopal, J. (2023). Anticancer Therapeutic Effects of Green Tea Catechins (GTCs) When Integrated with Antioxidant Natural Components. Molecules, 28.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules28052151"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1186\/s43556-024-00240-9","article-title":"Epigallocatechin-3-gallate therapeutic potential in human diseases: Molecular mechanisms and clinical studies","volume":"5","author":"Alam","year":"2024","journal-title":"Mol. Biomed."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mokra, D., Joskova, M., and Mokry, J. (2022). Therapeutic Effects of Green Tea Polyphenol (\u2013)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG) in Relation to Molecular Pathways Controlling Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Apoptosis. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 24.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms24010340"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"819","DOI":"10.1021\/mp700075m","article-title":"Biotransformation of green tea polyphenols and the biological activities of those metabolites","volume":"4","author":"Lambert","year":"2007","journal-title":"Mol. Pharm."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1097\/00008571-199702000-00009","article-title":"Genetic polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT): Correlation of genotype with individual variation of S-COMT activity and comparison of the allele frequencies in the normal population and Parkinsonian patients in Finland","volume":"7","author":"Tilgmann","year":"1997","journal-title":"Pharmacogenetics"},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"6716","article-title":"Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)-mediated metabolism of catechol estrogens: Comparison of wild-type and variant COMT isoforms","volume":"61","author":"Dawling","year":"2001","journal-title":"Cancer Res."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.1080\/07315724.2016.1194236","article-title":"Short-term Effects of Green Tea on Blood Pressure, Endothelial Function, and Metabolic Profile in Obese Prehypertensive Women: A Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial","volume":"36","author":"Nogueira","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Am. Coll. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"1405","article-title":"The Minnesota Green Tea Trial (MGTT), a randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of green tea extract on biomarkers of breast cancer risk: Study rationale, design, methods, and participant characteristics","volume":"26","author":"Samavat","year":"2015","journal-title":"Cancer Causes Control"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"710","DOI":"10.1158\/1940-6207.CAPR-17-0187","article-title":"A Randomized Controlled Trial of Green Tea Extract Supplementation and Mammographic Density in Postmenopausal Women at Increased Risk of Breast Cancer","volume":"10","author":"Samavat","year":"2017","journal-title":"Cancer Prev. Res."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"National Cancer Institute (2023, November 29). Diet History Questionnaire (Archive Version), Available online: https:\/\/epi.grants.cancer.gov\/dhq\/."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"National Cancer Institute (2025, December 07). Dietary Health Questionnaire, Available online: https:\/\/epi.grants.cancer.gov\/dhq\/forms\/dhq1.2007.sample.pdf."},{"key":"ref_36","unstructured":"National Cancer Institute (2025, December 07). NCI Diet*Calc Software, Available online: https:\/\/epi.grants.cancer.gov\/dhq2\/dietcalc\/."},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"4309485","article-title":"Cytokines as Biomarkers and Their Respective Clinical Cutoff Levels","volume":"2017","author":"Monastero","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Inflam."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tylutka, A., Walas, L., and Zembron-Lacny, A. (2024). Level of IL-6, TNF, and IL-1beta and age-related diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front. Immunol., 15.","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2024.1330386"},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2014). WHO_NMH_NHD_EPG_14.7_eng.pdf, WHO."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e18","DOI":"10.1210\/clinem\/dgad502","article-title":"Vitamin D Binding Protein and Postsurgical Outcomes and Tissue Injury Markers After Hip Fracture: A Prospective Study","volume":"109","author":"Meng","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"571","DOI":"10.1158\/1940-6207.CAPR-17-0160","article-title":"Effect of Green Tea Supplements on Liver Enzyme Elevation: Results from a Randomized Intervention Study in the United States","volume":"10","author":"Yu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Cancer Prev. Res."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.3945\/jn.115.222414","article-title":"Green Tea Extract and Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Genotype Modify Fasting Serum Insulin and Plasma Adiponectin Concentrations in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Overweight and Obese Postmenopausal Women","volume":"146","author":"Dostal","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_43","unstructured":"(2025, December 07). CRN Survey Shows Consistent Supplement Usage with Increase of Specialty Product Use Over Time. Available online: https:\/\/www.crnusa.org\/newsroom\/crn-survey-shows-consistent-supplement-usage-increase-specialty-product-use-over-time."}],"container-title":["Nutrients"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/18\/1\/143\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,3]],"date-time":"2026-01-03T05:15:09Z","timestamp":1767417309000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/18\/1\/143"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]}},"alternative-id":["nu18010143"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/nu18010143","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-6643"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-6643","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]]}}}