Dementia is a common neurodegenerative disease in the U.S. The annual death toll from dementia is 100,000 nationwide, and it’s estimated that more than 50 million people suffer from dementia worldwide. Out of this number, approximately 12% are Americans. Unfortunately, these numbers only seem to increase, and they may even double by 2026, according to Nature Medicine.
In other words (or rather, in numbers), this means that two in every five older Americans will suffer from this condition. For people reaching the age of 80, it’s two out of every four individuals. Furthermore, due to a gene called APOE4, women and Black people are more predisposed to the risk of having Alzheimer’s, according to the NIA.
Dementia is a chronic and irreversible syndrome, which means that there is no cure at the moment—therefore, prevention is the only “cure.” To lower the risk of having dementia, you can start by adopting a healthy diet, avoiding stress, and exercising regularly. Smoking and sleep deprivation can also be risk factors for dementia.
The Magical Anti-Dementia Potion
Surprisingly, doctors and professionals have found that there is a beverage that is really beneficial for our brains: green tea. BMC Geriatrics specifically found that consuming high levels of green tea can significantly lower the risk of cognitive malfunctions and problems in the future.
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White matter is an important component of our nervous system. It helps facilitate information transmission by connecting different regions of the brain. White matter refers specifically to the nerve fibers it is composed of, which reach even the spinal cord. A white matter lesion means that there’s damage in these fibers, and, in the long run, that can severely affect our memory, mobility, and other brain functions. These lesions look like white spots when analyzing a brain scan.
A study that included almost 9,000 brain scans compared the brain activity between green tea drinkers and coffee drinkers. Participants in this study were all above the age of 65. Results showed that individuals who drank green tea regularly had fewer white matter lesions than coffee drinkers.
For instance, people who drank three cups of green tea every day had 3% fewer white matter lesions than people who only drank green tea once a day, and people who drank more than seven cups had 6% fewer lesions. Therefore, a high consumption of green tea was found to be strictly associated with better neurocognitive activity.
Other Green Tea Benefits
The benefits green tea offers don’t stop there. In addition to enhancing cognitive functioning, it also has been proven to increase longevity. Antioxidants found in green tea are great at reducing stress levels, which makes this beverage key for anti-aging.
It’s also well-known that green tea is a great immune system booster thanks to its antibacterial and antiviral properties, preventing vulnerable people, such as the elderly, from getting sick. Other benefits of green tea are bone health and cardiovascular support.
The amount of green tea recommended is three cups per week. A very high amount can result in sleeping problems due to the caffeine content.
The Bottom Line:
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Green tea has been proven to be a great way to battle cognitive impairment and prevent dementia in people over the age of 60. It has been shown that regular drinkers present fewer white matter lesions than non-drinkers.
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