As is well-known, tea can invigorate and refresh the mind. The benefits of tea for the brain go beyond that. A new study found that elderly people who regularly drink tea have healthier brain structures, which can help slow down cognitive decline. An international research team led by the United States recently published an article in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society stating that components in tea can directly affect the connections between different regions of the brain. Regular Tea drinking helps the brain resist age-related structural changes.
Can Drinking Tea Really Help Prevent Aging?
According to a report released by scientists in Singapore: Drinking tea benefits the brain and can slow down the aging of brain cells, thus keeping the elderly mentally sharp.
Professor Wu Zeping from the Department of Psychiatry at the National University of Singapore said, “Tea has this effect, and it is inexpensive, non-toxic, and widely consumed.”
The study was initiated by the National University of Singapore. From September 2003 to December 2005, scientists studied the tea-drinking habits of 2,501 Chinese individuals aged 55 or older. They assessed their health status, attention span, language skills, and spatial vision abilities, while also monitoring their tea consumption.
The study results showed that two-thirds of the tea drinkers maintained similar scores on memory tests over the two-year period. In contrast, 35% of those who did not drink tea had an average decrease of two points in test scores after two years, indicating a decline in cognitive function.
The aging of brain cells is caused by multiple factors, including the death of nerve cells, disease-causing genes, mini-strokes, and the accumulation of harmful proteins, often leading to dementia. The study found that the natural component catechin in tea can prevent the buildup of harmful proteins, protect brain cells, and maintain cognitive function.
In addition, Caffeine in tea also plays a good supporting role. Unlike caffeine in Coffee, the caffeine in tea contains a natural protein called Theanine. The natural protein theanine can counteract common side effects of caffeine, such as increased blood pressure, headaches, and fatigue, having a certain effect on delaying aging.
However, simply drinking tea will not produce immediate results. It is important to develop good living habits, have a balanced diet, and exercise regularly.