VRP Staff
One of the first studies to investigate the link between green tea and brain health in humans has found that green tea consumption is linked to a reduced prevalence of cognitive impairment.
Past cell culture and animal studies have found that green tea may protect the brain against degenerative processes leading to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and that it can inhibit the buildup of amyloid proteins associated with Alzheimer’s. However, until now, human studies have not been done.
In the current study, researchers analyzed data from 1,003 Japanese subjects who had participated in a community-based Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment conducted in 2002. The subjects, aged 70 or older, completed a self-administered questionnaire that included questions about their diets, overall physical health, lifestyle habits and frequency of green tea consumption. Researchers evaluated cognitive function by using the Mini-Mental State Examination, which measures memory, attention and language use.
The results indicated that higher green tea consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of cognitive impairment. Subjects who consumed two or more cups of green tea per day had about half the chance of developing cognitive impairment compared to those who drank three cups or less each week. Participants who drank about one cup per day also reduced their risk of mental decline, although not by as much as those consuming two or more cups per day.
Green tea’s protective effect on cognitive function remained even after the researchers adjusted for overall diet, smoking and exercise habits.
The study authors suggest that green tea’s potential ability to support brain health may help explain the lower rate of Alzheimer’s disease in Japan compared with Europe and North America.
Reference:
Kuriyama S, Hozawa A, Ohmori K, Shimazu T, Matsui T, Ebihara S, Awata S, Nagatomi R, Arai H, Tsuji I. Green tea consumption and cognitive function: a cross-sectional study from the Tsurugaya Project 1. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb;83(2):355-61.
