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Smoking status: not checked. AREDS2 Formula: what these mean for you changes depending on whether you smoke or used to, and you have not told us. That check was skipped.
Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
AREDS2 Formula vs Green Tea Extract: Green Tea Extract has the stronger overall evidence (7.5 vs 7/10); the best pick depends on your goals. Take the 60-second quiz for a pick tailored to your goals.
Green Tea Extract wins 2 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Too few graded studies
Top outcomes
Verdict
Likely helps
5 of 7 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
One AREDS2 daily regimen, usually split into two servings: vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, zinc 80 mg (as zinc oxide) and copper 2 mg (as cupric oxide)
With meals
A product matching the AREDS2 composition exactly: vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, zinc 80 mg, copper 2 mg
250-338mg EGCG a day with food (about 500-675mg of an extract standardised to 50% EGCG). 338 mg is a review-derived precaution (PMID 29580974), not an upper limit and not proof of safety
With meals, Morning or pre-exercise
Standardized extract (45-50% EGCG)
and 3 more not shown
and 2 more not shown
Years — average follow-up was 6.3 years
Years
Long-term
Years
Acute and 4-8 weeks
Acute
30-60 minutes
Lutein + zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids for age-related macular degeneration: the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) randomized clinical trial.
JAMA (2013) · Rct · n=4203
Primary analysis was NULL: lutein/zeaxanthin HR 0.90 (98.7% CI 0.76-1.07, P=.12); DHA+EPA HR 0.97 (0.82-1.16, P=.70); both together HR 0.89 (0.75-1.06, P=.10)
A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc for age-related macular degeneration and vision loss: AREDS report no. 8.
Arch Ophthalmol (2001) · Rct · n=3640
Antioxidants plus zinc vs placebo for advanced AMD: OR 0.72 (99% CI 0.52-0.98). Zinc alone OR 0.75 (0.55-1.03); antioxidants alone OR 0.80 (0.59-1.09) — neither significant on its own
Long-term Outcomes of Adding Lutein/Zeaxanthin and ω-3 Fatty Acids to the AREDS Supplements on Age-Related Macular Degeneration Progression: AREDS2 Report 28.
JAMA Ophthalmol (2022) · Cohort · n=3882
10-year lung cancer odds ratio: 1.82 (95% CI 1.06-3.12, P=.02) for beta-carotene assignment vs 1.15 (0.79-1.66, P=.46) for lutein/zeaxanthin
Green tea (Camellia sinensis) for the prevention of cancer
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2020) · Meta analysis · n=1795
For incident prostate cancer, the summary risk ratio (RR) in the green tea-supplemented participants was 0.50 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18 to 1.36), based on three studies and involving 201 participants (low-certainty evidence).
Impact of flavan-3-ols on blood pressure and endothelial function in diverse populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
European journal of preventive cardiology (2025) · Meta analysis · n=5205
Flavan-3-ol interventions included epicatechin, epigallocatechin-gallate, cocoa products, tea, grape extract, and apples delivering 586 mg (95% CI 510, 662) total flavan-3-ols.
The effects of green tea extract supplementation on body composition, obesity-related hormones and oxidative stress markers: a grade-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
The British journal of nutrition (2024) · Meta analysis · n=3802
Pooled effect sizes indicated that BM, BFP, BMI and MDA significantly reduced following GTE supplementation.
Both points come from a systematic review of 17 randomised trials in 1,356 healthy adults (PMID 27324590), which found that 107 to 856 mg of EGCG a day for 4 to 14 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol by about 9.3 mg/dl, at any dose in that range. The effect depended slightly on baseline lipids, not on dose, so the curve is flat. A 12-week trial at 856.8 mg a day in 102 women with central obesity saw a non-significant downward trend in LDL (PMID 26093535). No optimum was identified, and the 856 mg point is not a safety ceiling: a safety review derived 338 mg EGCG a day as the safe intake for solid supplement doses (PMID 29580974).
AI-estimated from published studies. Interpret as directional guidance.
Green Tea Extract has a higher evidence score (7.5/10 vs 7/10) and wins in 2 of 3 categories.
No documented interaction was found in the data searched. This does not establish that this exact combination is safe.
The right pick depends on your goals. Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation — or dig into the full evidence on each.