Green Tea Extract side effects causing long term pain?!


Question: Green Tea Extract side effects causing long term pain?
A few months ago I started taking a green tea extract from GNC (their brand - 500mg capsules). About a week later my knee, which I had injured about a year before, started to feel somewhat swollen. After that, I put most of the weight on my other leg while walking around and that knee started to hurt. About a week afterward, I started experiencing some intense pain around the knees and my thighs. It became a hassle to even walk. I went to a walk-in doctor's office (because I lacked insurance) and the doctor there told me, because the pain was most acute around my knees, that I merely strained the tendons and had to build up the strength with exercises. However, I could not complete ANY of the exercises he gave me, and returned about two weeks later when my thigh and calf on the leg that was injured first suddenly seized up while I was standing. Shortly after that, the area above my second knee became weak and the knee was constantly giving out while walking/sometimes even while standing.

The notion that the green tea extract may have had a hand in my current condition came about today when my knee that was giving out started doing so again even though it had not experienced it in some time. I was curious if something in my diet was causing me issues and I saw that on the drink I had yesterday there was green tea extract, and that my initial pains started when I had started on the capsules (which I quit taking after about 2 weeks. I have been experiencing pain however for 2+ months).The drink also had in it trigosamine which, according to my friend's grandmother, was excellent in aiding joint pain.

Other issues I've had since then include joint pain in a elbow,a finger, and my upper back (which were not receiving any sort of stress like my legs were from work), and my toes would frequently stay numb if I had been exposed to colder weather (less than 10 degrees F) even if I had been inside in a warm environment for 20 min...while my hands warmed up fine.

I was just curious if others had this experience, as I have not been able to find any websites directly linking green tea extract to these specific side effects. Thanks!

Answers:

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Theanine, an amino acid found in green tea, helps you relax. When you are more relaxed, you are more in charge of your behaviors.

Green tea has at least two different chemicals that work together to increase the amount of calories you burn in a day. One study showed that people taking green tea extract containing at least 90 mg epigallocatechin-3gallate (EGCG) burned 266 more calories per day than those who didn’t take the green tea extract. The supplement was taken three times daily. Other chemicals in green tea have also been shown to reduce how much fat is digested from a person’s meals.

Green tea is generally thought to be a safe, non-toxic drink. There are no bad side effects. There is caffeine in it. Drinking too much can cause irritability, insomnia, nervousness, and fast heart rate. Green tea extracts in capsules may be caffeine free. Many health care providers advise pregnant women and nursing mothers to avoid caffeine. Some studies suggest large amounts may harm a developing fetus. Some infants may become over stimulated by caffeine in their breast milk.
Summary

Nutrition is another key factor in managing chronic pain.




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