Comparison
EGCG vs Fisetin
Side-by-side of EGCG and Fisetin. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
EGCG
EGCG supplement guide: 300-600 mg/day green tea catechin for fat loss and cardiovascular markers. Hepatotoxicity risk above 800 mg/day fasted.
Fisetin
Fisetin is a flavonoid found in strawberries with senolytic activity in mouse models. Hickson 2019 confirmed senescent-cell clearance in human adipose tissue.
Effects at a glance
EGCG
- •Modest fat loss (~1.3 kg over 12 weeks) when combined with caffeine and caloric deficit
- •Small reductions in LDL cholesterol (3-6 mg/dL) and systolic blood pressure (2-3 mmHg)
- •EFSA flags hepatotoxicity risk above 800 mg/day, particularly when taken fasted
- •Bioavailability is 0.1-1.0%; gut microbiome variation drives population-variable response
- •Green tea extract typically combines EGCG with caffeine and L-theanine for additive effects
- •Reduces non-heme iron absorption when co-administered with meals
Fisetin
- •Flavonoid found in strawberries; most potent natural senolytic in screening assays (Yousefzadeh 2018)
- •Hickson 2019 confirmed reduced senescent-cell burden in human adipose tissue at 20 mg/kg pulsed for 2 days
- •Pulsed Mayo protocol (20 mg/kg/day x 2 days monthly) is the only dose with human biomarker evidence
- •Daily low-dose (100-500 mg) is mechanistically weaker but commonly used
- •Low oral bioavailability; with-fat dosing modestly improves absorption
- •Active cancer is a relative contraindication pending clearer polyphenol-treatment data
Side-by-side
| Attribute | EGCG | Fisetin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | natural | supplement |
| Also known as | epigallocatechin gallate, green tea extract | 3,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 3 | 2 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 400 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 2 times daily with food | pulsed 2 days/month (Mayo protocol) or daily continuous (empirical) |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1.5 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 458.37 | 286.24 |
| Molecular formula | C22H18O11 | C15H10O6 |
| Mechanism | Inhibits catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) to prolong norepinephrine signaling; activates AMPK; scavenges reactive oxygen species via gallate ester; modulates gut microbiome and pancreatic lipase activity. | Senolytic via Bcl-2 family inhibition (Bcl-xL, Bcl-w); broad polyphenol with Nrf2 activation, mTOR inhibition at high concentrations, and antioxidant effects. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement; warning labels required above 800 mg/day in some EU jurisdictions | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Avoid high-dose extracts; moderate green tea consumption appears acceptable | Insufficient data |
| CAS | 989-51-5 | 528-48-3 |
| PubChem CID | 65064 | 5281614 |
| Wikidata | Q307091 | Q230614 |
Safety profile
EGCG
Common side effects
- nausea
- abdominal discomfort
- diarrhea
- jitteriness (with caffeine)
- sleep disruption (with caffeine)
Contraindications
- pregnancy at high-dose extracts
- active liver disease
- iron deficiency anemia (separate dosing)
Interactions
- iron supplements: reduces non-heme iron absorption; separate by 2 to 3 hours(moderate)
- anticoagulants: additive effects at high catechin doses(minor)
- beta-blockers (nadolol): reduced absorption when taken simultaneously(moderate)
- hepatotoxic supplements (high-dose niacin, kava): theoretical additive hepatotoxicity at high EGCG doses(moderate)
- stimulants and caffeine: additive thermogenic and cardiovascular effects(minor)
Fisetin
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- active cancer (theoretical, polyphenol interactions)
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
- concurrent CYP3A4-sensitive medications
Interactions
- statins (CYP3A4 substrates): theoretical reduction in statin clearance at high fisetin doses(minor)
- warfarin: theoretical CYP-mediated interaction; monitor INR if combining(moderate)
- other senolytics (rapamycin, dasatinib + quercetin): additive senolytic effect; pairing is investigational(minor)
Which Should You Take?
EGCG comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Fisetin is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is metabolic health and glucose control, pick EGCG.
- → If your priority is cardiovascular health, pick EGCG.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Fisetin.
Default choice: EGCG. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Fisetin only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between EGCG and Fisetin?
EGCG and Fisetin differ in category (natural vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, EGCG or Fisetin?
EGCG half-life is 3 hours; Fisetin half-life is 2 hours.
Can you stack EGCG with Fisetin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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