How can you prevent Alzheimer's? Think green tea. Or at least green tea extract.
Long known to be beneficial in heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, a new study finds a specific green tea extract may delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia. "Teawell 50," manufactured by A. Holliday & Company, is a 50 percent pure extraction of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) -- a flavonoid which is the most potent of four major catechins in green tea.
The study was performed by Dr. Stephane Bastianetto at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University in Montreal and was funded by by A. Holliday & Company.
In the study, rats were fed food that contained Teawell 50, compared to a control group whose food did not contain the extract. Results showed that rats who ate Teawell 50 had an 18 percent reduction of free radicals in a key region of the brain involved with learning and memory. This region is severely damaged when Alzheimer's is present.
"This suggests regular consumption of green tea may protect against the deleterious effects of oxidative stress, delaying or preventing age-related memory deficits," said Dr. Bastianetto.
According to Dr. Bastianetto, discovering Teawell 50's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier in sufficient concentrations and actually reach the brain is significant.
