Is green tea the holy grail for brain health?

Green tea has a reputation as a holy grail for preventing a plethora of conditions.

In fact, studies have linked green tea to improving everything from blood pressure to eyesight. Green tea supports gut health and may even enhance weight loss.

And because a single cup of green tea is chock full of caffeine and antioxidants known as catechins, as well as vitamins with proven neuroprotective effects, time after time, scientists have set out to see whether or not green tea may also be the holy grail of cognitive health….

However, it’s been a connection that’s been difficult to unravel.

So is green tea the answer to brain and memory support and avoiding the conditions that can rob it all?

Here’s why that’s a hard question to answer…

On the plus side: fewer white matter lesions

Recent research, published in the journal Nature, investigated the association between green tea consumption and cerebral white matter lesions and hippocampal and total brain volumes among almost 9,000 older adults.

MRI results determined that people who drank more green tea were significantly less likely to suffer from white matter lesions.

These lesions are thought to result from small-vessel disease and are considered to be a risk factor for dementia.

Drinking green tea is the way to go then, right?

Not so fast…

The negative: reduced grey matter volume

While the Nature study showed that green tea can have a positive effect on the brain, a different study says it could be risky…

And, because the number of study participants was far larger (the scientists examined the data from over 500,000 people), these results could be even more significant.

The results of this study found an extra cup of tea consumed per day was significantly associated with the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The scientists determined that the number of cups of tea consumed daily was inversely related to gray matter volume and right hippocampal volume.

This is important since gray matter volume reduction is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s, indicating neuron loss and subsequent cognitive decline.

Decreased brain volume of gray matter in the right hippocampus is known to lead to declines in language and memory functions.

Cognitive support without the guesswork

When it comes to drinking green tea for brain health, on the one hand, it seems great — but on the other, not so great.

That’s why to support my brain, I feed it phosphatidylserine (PS for short) — one of the most tested nootropics for brain and memory support.

In one multi-university study, subjects who took PS showed improvement in cognition, including reasoning, learning, memory, and recalling numbers, names and faces.

Another study performed in Italy found that phosphatidylserine helped support the ability to remember.

Lastly, a third study at a world-famous memory clinic found that PS works to support comprehension and attention.

When you realize PS is a key building block of the brain, found in high concentrations in brain cells called neurons, it’s no wonder.

I still enjoy my green tea in moderation. But I’m a lot more confident about what PS is doing for my brain.

Sources:

Green tea consumption and cerebral white matter lesions in community-dwelling older adults without dementia – Nature

Extra cup of tea intake associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease: Genetic insights from Mendelian randomization – Frontiers

Green tea extracts may turn superfood’s benefits harmful – Easy Health Options