As you may already know, green tea is made from the leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant, and it’s a big part of Asian culture.
Green tea contains many different types of flavonoids and polyphenols that lend it its antioxidant activities.
For this reason, green tea has been used to prevent and help different diseases and conditions, like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cognitive decline.
So, it's no wonder that green tea is known to be one of the best teas to consume for your general health.
It not only gives you a mild energy boost because of its caffeine content but, thanks to its amino acid L-theanine, it also helps to calm anxiety and promote a sense of well-being.
Additionally, the type of flavonoids present in green tea, called catechins, are thought to have an effect in preventing age-related cognitive decline and maintaining the brain’s vitality for longer.
Knowing this, scientists from Japan published an animal study that focuses specifically on the effect of the catechins present in green tea.
Let’s examine what they found.
THE RESULTS
The scientists started with a hypothesis that catechins found in green tea could suppress neurodegenerative changes in the brain due to ageing.
Brain ageing, on the other hand, is commonly connected with oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Therefore, the potent antioxidant properties that catechins possess could counteract and prevent the damage.
The results were consistent with their hypothesis, and that makes the study a success.
The behavioural tests they did were to examine learning ability, memory retention, and working memory in the animals. Their findings showed that there was a great improvement in behaviour regarding these parameters.
Namely, one recurring result that kept showing up in all the tests was that the effects of green tea catechins were dose-dependant.
This means that the higher the dose, the better the improvements in the cognitive behaviour of the animals.
In addition, they also discovered that green tea catechins increased the expression of genes that directly influence the brain’s self-maintenance, memory processes, and learning abilities.
Based on all this, they propose that “drinking at least 1–2 cups of green tea every day might benefit the suppression of ageing-related cognitive decline and lifespan shortening.”
THE CONCLUSION
It has been clear for a long time that green tea is very good for your overall health, your brain included, which is why there are so many studies on green tea.
This particular study has managed to clearly define the beneficial effects of green tea and its bioactive compounds on the brain.
And if you like the stimulating effects of green tea, make sure to check out our Smart Caffeine supplements with caffeine and L-Theanine, for maximum energy without the jitters.
