Japanese scientists from the University of Tsukuba found that drinking traditional Japanese matcha green tea improves the condition of elderly people experiencing cognitive decline. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Alzheimer and Dementia (A&D).
Matcha is a popular drink in Japan and other countries. It contains theanine, which is believed to have a positive effect on short-term memory and sleep.
Researchers conducted a dual, placebo-controlled, comparative clinical trial. It involved 99 people aged 60 to 84 with dementia-related cognitive impairment.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive 2 grams of matcha daily (49 people) or placebo capsules filled with colored cornstarch (50 people) for 12 months.
Scientists evaluated the participants’ mental functions and sleep quality using a variety of tests and questionnaires. They also took blood samples from the participants and performed brain imaging.
The results showed that the group taking the tea powder improved communication acuity, which is the ability to detect emotions based on facial expressions, compared to the group consuming the placebo.
The matcha group also showed a trend towards improved sustained performance, a measure of how well a person can maintain focus.
It was also observed that the sleep quality of the participants who drank matcha improved compared to the placebo group. Tests showed a slight improvement in the overall cognitive performance of those who drank the tea.
Researchers concluded that matcha consumption had a positive effect on emotional perception and attention, as well as sleep quality, in older adults with cognitive impairment.
Biologists before I learnedIt turns out that matcha tea helps relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Source: Gazeta
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