It’s always a treat to relax with a cup of green tea. And we’ve known about its health benefits for a while.
But here’s a new one: there’s a chemical found within green tea that might prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
A team of researchers led by Jo Rushworth, PhD, looked at the effects of chemicals found in green tea and red wine on the brain.
Specifically, they were interested in its effects on Alzheimer’s disease.
The key event that leads to Alzheimer’s disease, they noted, was the accumulation of amyloid-beta peptides in the brain. These proteins build up and form toxic balls which latch onto nerve cells, causing them to malfunction.
Researchers hypothesized that changing the shape of these amyloid balls would prevent them from latching onto nerve cells, which would stop the damage.
So they formed amyloid balls in tests tubes, inserted them in human and animal brain cells, and then added extracts from green tea and red wine.
The two extracts they used were epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from green tea and resveratrol from red wine.
After the extracts were added, they found something surprising . . .
. . . but promising.
The two extracts re-shaped the amyloid balls, preventing them from causing harm to the brain cells.So we know that green tea extracts and red wine extracts can be used to prevent some of the biological events that lead to Alzheimer’s disease in a laboratory setting. That’s good news, but it’s a long way away from a therapeutic solution.
While it’s exciting to know that cutting-edge research is finding new ways to change the course of Alzheimer’s disease, we need much more work on the path toward clinical interventions.
For now, we can’t say that drinking red wine or green tea will protect your brain from Alzheimer’s disease. But with more research, maybe we’ll have a better sense of how your diet can heal your brain.
If you want to see the full study, it was published online in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
There’s other ways to protect your brain, too – with research to back them up. Click here to find out how.
Have you ever recommended dietary interventions to patients for mental health reasons? Have they been effective? Please leave a comment below with your thoughts.
I appreciate the insights shared in this article, particularly the emphasis on seeking professional advice for mardana kamzori ka nusksha. It’s reassuring to know that there are various treatment options available and that it’s not something anyone has to face alone.
I had severe tremors and mobility issues due to Parkinson disease, the medications I was given did not help at all, so I started to do alot of research on natural treatments and came across Parkinson’s Herbal Treatment from VineHealth Center. Few months into the treatment my symptoms including tremors, tiredness and muscle weakness improved dramatically. (Go to vinehealthcenter. com), I have regained mobility and I have also resumed exercising to strengthen muscles
Is green tea good for epilepsy
I recommend all the typical naturopathic recommendations to bring down inflammation (including the 5 herb product anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory called Protandim). I recommend unclogging the tubes (sometimes colonics and MDR of Magnesium (if the guts appear plugged up). A simple blood test will tell your health professional what you lack–then you add that nutrient to your food intake.
My own best results have been staying natural: never artificial sweeteners, non-GMO’s, organic(non-toxic foods), non-hydrogenated, with maximal variety of LIGHTLY COOKED vegetables. Unblock the gallbladder of stones with a flush every year or so. Cut down or OUT red meat. Eat 6-10 veggies a day!!! Use sweeteners with high mineral content: Maple syrup, RAW honey. As an alternate to sweetener in tea, use e.g. blueberry juice.
Eat SOLAR…that is eat the food as animals in the wild eat it–when the sun hits it, and when you have the digestive juices to metabolize it best. Morning-most nuts and tree fruit, rice, coffee. Afternoon– teas, grains, greens, most meats, fruit that grows in the bushes. Nightime–Root veggies, cranberries, pineapple, fish. Simple, but like magic, it cleans you out and you digest the nutrients. This means drink coffee in the MORNING only…if you put *cream* in it,make the product match the time of day, e.g. use goat milk just before noon, because dairy is a midday food. As a general rule do not mix morning with evening or afternoon foods! This system comes from the Akashic Plane.
What i do not understood is in reilaty how you are now not actually much more neatly-liked than you might be now. You are very intelligent. You realize therefore considerably on the subject of this matter, made me personally believe it from a lot of various angles. Its like women and men aren’t fascinated until it’s something to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. All the time take care of it up!
Where I feel it is necessary or advisable. All things in moderation, and I try to shy away from the flaky stuff that has little scientific support. Generally recommend a “Whole Food Diet” especially for people presenting w/ depression/anxiety symptoms that also consume a lot of refined sugar/wheat/junk food products. Just finished Wm. Davis’ “Wheat Belly” where he discusses the effect of a polypeptide by-product of wheat digestion that crosses the blood brain barrier and bonds to opioid receptors. It was compelling enough for me to realize there was no downside to following his recommendations for a wheat-free diet. Early results are encouraging, and more clients are acknowledging the need for more intelligent food consumption.I also have a colleague who works extensively with depression/anxiety clients who cleans up their diets as part of their initial assessment (same “whole food” idea) who reports significant improvements in reported symptoms.
I find ‘Wheat Belly’ too flaky for me. I think that he is making a huge set of claims which haven’t been accepted by the relevant scientists. He is also recommending that people become wheat free, whereas the great majority of people who have no problem with gluten, can just use it sparingly. So I think of wheat as a treat – a few slices of bread a day and none of the hidden wheat that is in junk food. So we mindfully enjoy our veges and protein, and allow ourselves measured treats so we don’t set up inner rebellious activities. I have a piece of Lindt dark chocolate every day.
My recommendation is low fat, low sugar, low junk – high protein, salad and veges. Bread/wheat is a treat!
My major reference is:
‘Weight Loss For Food Lovers’ by Dr George Blair-West.
on the Kindle app.
I have found L Glutimine to be a good supplement to lift one out of depression. My nutritionist suggested it 10 years ago and I am still taking it every morning with good results.
BEMER technology complements nutritional therapies. It increases microcirculation and venous drainage plus oxygenatin by up to 30% (studies show up in Pub Med). I myself have noticed an improvement in short term memory retention. A colleague noticed a reversal of depression in her blind 94 yo depressed mother. And a patient who was never able to get things done on her “list of things to do” — maybe depression — found that after using her BEMER for a few weeks she was startig to check things off that list. So BEMER therapy improves the absorption and distribution of whatever nutrition anyone takes or recommends for their clients or patients.
People have gotten mercury safely taken out of their teeth and then done chelation and
so have side-stepped Alzheimers. I am also a state coordinator of Dental Amalgam Mercury
Solutions, and international non-profit seeking to ban mercury dental fillings. It is possible
at the beginning stages even with the APO4 marker gene.
Hi!
I had a client with anxiety. She had a deep sense of abandonment and was angry at life because she had to fill her need for love and attention by herself. She had food nd sugar cravings too. I suggested to her to eat more proteins at the breakfast and at lunch. I gave her a herbal elixir as well that combined 4 different fllowers. Her anxiety is almost gone. She feels stronger and more grounded now. She now takes action to get what she wants in life and in relationships. Just by eating more proteins and taking an elixir!
has anyone done any research/analysis on the dietary habits of persons experiencing alzheimer’s disorder? i would be interested to know if those persons did/did not drink red wine or green tea on a regular basis throughout their lives. how about people from various cultures who do partake of these specific beverages regularly? what might be the instances of alzheimer’s among green tea drinkers in asia, for example? how about red wine drinkers in france or italy? for myself, i will continue to drink both, regularly and moderately, and hope for the best!
Ruth,
There is always a danger in describing a correlational relationship or association as a “cause” of some phenomenon. This is the message from the relationship between red wine (which I love), green tea (which I hate) and Alzheimer’s. Much more research is needed to identify the specific elements that produce changes in the brain structure. Wouldn’t it be funny if warm water was the critical element? Thanks for you good work. Ron Doctor
You’re right, Ron. Thanks for pointing it out.
Ruth
As someone who walks with epilepsy, my use of diet to manage my seizures has been very important. I want to emphasize that NO conventional western doctor that I visited ever suggested any of these changes. According to them, my diet “didn’t relate” to my seizures. One of the biggest changes I made was taking myself off coffee completely and moving toward a green tea lifestyle. This reduced my seizure activity a great deal. When I take the time to eat whole foods with a good protein at each meal, my seizure activity decreases. When I integrate flax seed into my diet on a daily basis, my seizure activity decreases. I’d argue with those doctors I visited that diet is ABSOLUTELY related to my epilepsy.
Holly,
Absolutely diet has a major role in the brain and epilepsy. I would suggest eliminating grains and dairy if you are not in fact already doing that. These cause systemic inflammation and can be a direct cause of seizures. There is a great lab called Cyrex that has a cross reaction panel that can show you what foods you may be eating that are creating antibodies. The essential oil Frankincense has also been known to help with seizures, this oil can pass the blood brain barrier and is very healing. ( get a good one like DoTerra)
There are some really good Functional Neurologist practicing in the Seattle area that could help also.
Note: Functional Neurologist is very different than a traditional Neurologist.
Jeanie, I’m finally getting back to checking in on this discussion and want to extend a thank you for your sincere reply and good advice. I did not know that about grain and have not tried taking myself off of grain. I do cook almost all of my food from whole foods now and actually grow a lot of it myself. I will definitely look up the site you suggested for more information. Epilepsy has been the greatest journey of my life, and my healing has come entirely from healers like massage therapists and acupuncturists. I spent the last two years writing a book about the experience titled SEIZED. It’s being published now and should be out in the market by summer.
Yes I am quite regularly recommending dietary interventions to patients for mental health
reasons. e.g. Coconut oil for Parkinson disease. There are so many new findings in nature today
helping to stay healthy. This is very exciting.
Always. For attention or depression, sleep problems or anger, I want to consider increasing iron, Vitamin D, increased calcium, ratio of carbs to protein, micronutrients. I want to consider decreasing, or change the timing of, sugars, high-dose vitamins (which can cause fatigue), gas-producing vegetables, high glycemic index.
For problems with reality testing, I consider more foods with B vitamins, zinc.
I also sometimes suggest different spices that may stimulate the body in different ways, sometimes pulling from non-western or folk systems of remedies.
I also use food changes as a way to get patients to have some mindfulness. Try changing one thing and coach them to attend to potentially small differences. It is a way to engage patients and start to build skills to use for more sensitive subjects later.
In health classes I have taught I have always explained the benefits of a hypoglycemic control diet (high protein,medium fat, low carb) with nutritional supplements, for all with anxiety, depression, fatigue. Students have reported great success, especially in eliminating panic attacks. The only major complication is when sugar metabolism is disturbed by food allergy in which case a lot of self-testing is required (Dr. Coca’s Pulse Test-book now in public domain.). This approach has worked well in conjunction with work done with therapists.
Got it! Thanks a lot again for heiplng me out!
Recent brain research suggests that the current regime of introduced “factoryised fats and oils” along with a diet of simple carbohydrates could be the leading cause of Alzheimers.
Alzheimers is thought to be the result of ‘diabetes of the brain’ brought on by lifestyle factors. The Amyloid deposition is the brain trying to repair itself as a result either i) of not getting enough energy because of reduced blood sugar when on medication or ii) getting too much sugar from the blood that ir deposits as amyloid.
The body tissues similarly deposit fat from excess sugar in the blood.
A diet that removes the simple carbohydrates (breads, cakes, biscuits and sugar and wheat in commercial products) and long chain fatty acids (vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils, margarines…) will go a long way to remedy it.
Complex carbs from whole fruits and vegetables are best. Short chain fatty acids from butter, coconut, flax and sesame [it doesn’t matter whether they are saturated or not] will provide the brain with sufficient energy for appropriate function.
NICABM have recently help a webinar series where this is discussed.
Also See “Feed Your Brain, Lose Your Belly Fat” by Dr Larry McLeary.
As a part of my intake process, whether in my private practice or our treatment program, I evaluate a patient’s diet and strongly recommend seeing experts in nutrition.
From an antidotel perspective, decreasing simple carbohydrates and adding coconut oil, almonds, walnuts, avocados and greens such as spirulina, kale and spinach, seem to have an impact on increasing positive mood and motivation.
We focus on adding healthy ‘brain foods,’ first, while the nutritionists educate patient in the role food may play in their mental and physical health. What I often see, is by adding the healthy foods along with the education of the ‘fun foods,’ that might not be so helpful, there seems to be an initiation by the patients to decrease ‘fun foods’ and increase healthier foods. This is when I notice the shift in awareness by the patient, that they self-report feeling more positive, taking charge of achieving their treatment goals, and find themselves initiating exercise more.
Obviously, they are in therapy, so we must consider all the other positive aspects they may be experiencing.
I can’t find the study, but I read once that green tea extract helped a certain population with drowsiness but that the properties wouldn’t be effective if the whole green tea was consumed. Green tea extract can be bought in capsules.