Dementia risk can be lowered by drinking one hot beverage, studies suggest
Only the luckiest among us will make it through our whole life without being affected by dementia. The condition is very common in the UK, and thousands of people and their friends and families are affected by it every year.
The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease, a condition that, along with all other variants of dementia, scientists are tirelessly trying to find treatments and a cure for.
Experts are also trying to work out how we can take action to reduce our risk of developing the condition as we age, reports Surrey Live.
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Ways to reduce the risk of developing dementia include making positive lifestyle changes such as eating healthier and exercising more. According to research and some experts, drinking green tea could be another way to reduce one’s risk of developing the disease.
A theory behind green tea’s anti-dementia potential is that it could reduce the risk of amyloid beta, the main feature of a plaque that builds up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
Speaking to The Telegraph about green tea’s neurologically protective benefits, nutritionist Rob Hobson said: “In addition to brain changes, green tea has a potential to lower blood pressure that could contribute to its protective effects, as this is a key risk factor for cerebral white matter lesions.”
Despite the potential health benefits of green tea, other experts have warned that the research does not prove the drink definitely reduces the risk of dementia.
And green tea isn’t the first caffeinated beverage to have been hailed to reduce someone’s risk of developing dementia. Last year, research suggested coffee could have a similar impact.
The study, published by Verona University and led by Professor Mariapina D'Onofrio, looked at the impact of espresso on the brain, reported the Daily Express.
Their research, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, suggested that some compounds in an espresso could break down dangerous tau proteins which are associated with the development of dementia.
Discussing the research further, Professor D’Onofrio said: "Whether enjoyed on its own or mixed into a latte, Americano or even a martini, espresso provides an ultra-concentrated jolt of caffeine to coffee lovers.
"But it might do more than just wake you up. Espresso compounds can inhibit tau protein aggregation - a process that is believed to be involved in the onset of Alzheimer's disease."
However, as with studies on green tea, experts and charities say studies that suggest coffee could reduce the risk of dementia do not provide proof of a link between the consumption of the hot drinks and the development of the condition.
