Study links green tea to brain health

A Japanese study suggests that drinking green tea may help reduce brain damage linked to aging, which could lower the risk of cognitive decline and related conditions like Alzheimer's disease.

Research details and participants

Researchers from Kanazawa University conducted the study between 2016 and 2018, involving 8,766 participants aged 65 and older who did not already have dementia. The study examined the effects of green tea and coffee consumption on brain health.

Brain imaging and data collection

Participants underwent MRI scans and completed detailed questionnaires about their consumption of green tea and coffee. The researchers then compared the volumes of brain lesions, total brain volume, and the size of the hippocampus, a region important for memory.

Green tea consumption and brain lesions

Those who drank about 600 ml of green tea daily had a 3% lower volume of white matter lesions compared to those who drank less than 200 ml. Participants who consumed up to 1,500 ml of green tea daily showed even greater reductions, though exact figures for this group were not specified in the summary.