A research team from China
publishing the results of a study on the journal, Molecular Nutrition &
Food Research report that an antioxidant rich cup of green tea helps benefit
memory, cognitive abilities and spatial awareness.
Regarding green tea consumption,
there has been plenty of scientific attention on its use in helping prevent
cardiovascular diseases, but now there is emerging evidence that its chemical
properties may impact cellular mechanisms in the brain.
Students may want to take note, as
performance on exams may be enhanced with a cup or two of green tea beforehand.
Green tea catechins promote neurogenesis to enhance memory and learning
capabilities.
Researchers concentrated the active
polyphenol known as EGCG (epigallocatechin-3 gallate), an organic chemical and
main ingredient in green tea known to exhibit brain-protective properties in
prior studies.
Lead researcher, Dr. Yun Bai noted that, EGCG can
improve cognitive function by impacting the generation of neuron cells, a
process known as neurogenesis. He and his team found that EGCG promotes the
development of neural progenitor cells that contribute to memory retention and
enhanced thought capabilities.
Studies involving the brain
frequently use a mouse model due to similarities with humans.
Mice were split into two groups: the
first group was supplemented with an EGCG enhanced drink and the second control
group consumed only water. After training for three to seven days on various
skills to determine memory and retention, researchers found that the EGCG
supplemented mice demonstrated significantly improved memory and learning by
helping them to perform advanced skills while improving their spatial memory.
Dr. Bai concluded “We have shown
that organic chemical EGCG acts directly to increase the production of neural
progenitor cells….this helps us to understand the potential for EGCG, and green
tea which contains it, to help combat degenerative diseases and memory loss.”
This study provides evidence that green tea catechins (from supplements or
three to five fresh brewed cups each day) directly promote neurogenesis,
enabling enhanced memory recall and retention to improve cognition and spatial
awareness.
No comments:
Post a Comment