Regular consumption of tea found to reduce risk of dementia and improve cognitive function
Dementia is characterized by symptoms like memory loss and impaired judgment. Once considered a disease primarily affecting the elderly, many people under the age of 65 are now getting diagnosed with dementia.
Fortunately, a study has found that there’s an easy way to improve cognitive function.
According to researchers, consuming tea can help inhibit or slow down the aging of the brain and improve cognitive function. Details of the study were published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.
Tea consumption and disease prevention
A team that includes neurology researchers from Fudan University-affiliated Huashan Hospital and the Department of Neurology of Qingdao University-affiliated Qingdao Municipal Hospital conducted a survey in the U.K. from 2006 to 2010.
The results of the survey revealed that people who consumed tea drinks had a 16 percent lower overall risk of dementia than non-tea drinkers. (Related: Study: Drinking black tea helps increase longevity.)
During that four-year period, the researchers selected 377,592 volunteers from 22 regions in the United Kingdom. The participants had an average age of 58.49 and 54.3 percent were women.
The scientists divided the study participants into six groups:
- Those who didn’t drink tea at all.
- Those who drank only one to two cups of tea per day.
- Those who drank three to four cups of tea per day.
- Those who drank five to six cups of tea per day.
- Those who drank seven to eight cups of tea per day.
- Those who drank nine or more cups of tea per day.
Data from proportional hazard regression models indicated a significant link between tea consumption and reduced risk of dementia.
Specifically, the volunteers who consumed one to two cups of tea every day had their risk of dementia reduced by 17.7 percent. Those who drank three to four cups of tea reduced dementia risk by 20.8 percent and those who consumed five to six experienced a 19.7 percent risk reduction.
The researchers added that among those who drank more than six cups per day, the risk of dementia was no different than that of non-tea drinkers.
Further analysis into dementia types revealed that compared with the volunteers who did not drink tea at all, the people who consumed one to four cups a day had a 16.3 to 19.1 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. However, there was no significant difference after consuming over five cups of tea a day.
In an analysis concerning vascular dementia, drinking one to six cups of tea daily was found to reduce the incidence rate by 25 to 29.2 percent.
The scientists followed the volunteers for more than nine years and recorded a total of 5,122 cases of dementia. According to the researchers, tea consumption has been associated with protective benefits against several diseases.
Tea leaves contain different biomacromolecules, the most notable among them being polyphenols in green tea. Polyphenols are linked to many cellular antioxidant and nerve rescue activities that prevent memory deficits.
Biomacromolecules also have anti-inflammatory effects, which can help prevent cognitive decline.
Other superfoods that can help improve cognitive health
Experts believe dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are caused by a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors such as diet and nutrition. Health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity may also contribute to cognitive decline and these issues are usually affected by your diet.
