Green tea is simply dried leaves of the tea plant. Black tea are dried tea plant leaves that have been through a fermentation process. Green tea is a popular form of treatment for androgenetic alopecia although there have been no published studies to directly demonstrate its effectiveness. As with saw palmetto the potential for treating pattern baldness is indicated by research into the properties of green tea in treating other ailments. The key ingredients of green tea are molecules called catechins.
Catechins have several properties.
Animal model research studies indicate that green tea catechins have a variety of actions. Rats that were given green tea derived epicatechins showed vasorelaxation. Catechins of green tea are selectively bactericidal. They do not affect lactic acid bacteria but will reduce the proliferation of other bacteria types particularly those that use alpha-amylase activity in their growth and cell division. Green tea also contains antioxidants and may even help lower cholesterol.