:
Cardiovascular diseases(CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Evidence from observational and
randomized controlled studies showing the potential benefits of green tea on lowering CVD risk has been emerging rapidly
during the past few decades.These benefits include reduced risk for major cardiovascular events, lowering of blood pressure,
decreased LDL cholesterollevels and weight loss.At the same time, the understanding of physiological mechamismsbehind
these alterations is advancing.Consumption of green tea originates from China thousands of years ago, but has since
expanded all over the world.Recent advances in understanding the role of tea polyphenols, mainly catechins,as mediators
of tea’s health benefits has caused an emergence of various types of green teaextracts(GTE) on the market. While drinking
green tea is generally considered safe, there are concerns about thesafety of using tea extracts. The present article reviews
the current evidence of green tea consumption leading to reducedCVD risk, the phenomenon’s potential biological
mechanisms and the safety of using GTE.