Enjoying more cups of green tea daily reduces dementia brain lesions: Study

A cup of green tea in the morning every day isn’t just a refreshing choice but can also ward off dementia risk. A new study by

Japanese researchers

has linked drinking green tea with having fewer

white matter lesions

in the brains of Japanese seniors, which could provide protection against dementia.
Dementia can be caused when nerve cells are damaged and their connection to the brain is lost. The symptoms can vary depending on the area of the brain that has been affected.

The researchers from several institutions across Japan analyses data from 8,766 volunteers over the age of 65 and collected as part of a survey conducted between 2016 and 2018. The study was published in npj Science of Food.
Green tea and coffee consumption was self-reported and compared with MRI brain scans, which measured overall brain volume and five specific brain regions.

The study suggested a strong link between the amount of green tea consumed and the relative volume of damaging lesions across the brain.
“This cross-sectional study found a significant association between lower cerebral white matter lesions and higher green tea consumption, but not coffee consumption, in older adults without dementia, even after adjusting for confounding factors,” write the researchers in their published paper.
More cups of green tea per person meant lesser lesion, found out the study. Those who consumed three cups of green tea per day had 3 percent fewer white matter lesions compared with those drinking one cup per day. Those who drank seven to eight cups per day had 6 percent fewer lesions, compared to those drinking one cup a day.

However having green tea didn’t have any effect on total brain volume. Also it didn’t make any difference to people diagnosed with depression, or with the APOE4 gene variant linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our findings indicate that drinking green tea, especially three or more glasses per day, may help prevent dementia,” write the researchers.

Benefits of green tea for brain

Boosts memory: The combination of caffeine and L-theanine in green tea can improve performance on demanding cognitive tasks and boost alertness.
Reduces anxiety: Green tea has been found to reduce anxiety, which can positively impact

cognitive function

.
Protects against cognitive decline: Regular consumption may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, possibly due to its high concentration of antioxidants.
Improves brain function: Compounds in green tea can enhance brain function by increasing the firing of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters.
Supports mental task performance: Some studies suggest that green tea can boost mental task performance, potentially due to its unique combination of caffeine and L-theanine.

(Pic courtesy: iStock)