With all the good things green tea can do as a cancer fighter, you may be hearing about new research that could prompt you to consider adding it to your list of tools for fighting Alzheimer's disease.
One of major components in green tea -- epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) -- was responsible for preventing brain damage similar to Alzheimer's in mice by reducing the production of beta-amyloids, proteins that spur memory loss and nerve damage.
In fact, the presence of beta-amyloids decreased by more than 50 percent in mice injected with pure EGCG for several months.
Here's the catch, and it's a big one: Researchers believe the other flavonoids found in green tea may work against EGCG's ability to prevent beta-amyloid buildup, so drinking it may not completely do the trick. Also, the amount of EGCG a patient needs to fight Alzheimer's is much higher.
If you read my blog regularly, you also know tea is an acceptable fluid to drink, but only in moderation, as previous research has found high levels of fluoride can be present in some teas.
The Journal of Neuroscience, Vol. 25, No. 38, September 21, 2005: 8807-8814
Science Blog September 21, 2005