Study finds common drink can reduce Alzheimer’s risk

A new study has found one of the world’s most popular drinks can help fight off Alzheimer’s disease.

The recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, found that drinking tea regularly can more than halve the risk of cognitive decline in older adults.

While tea has previously been linked to lowering the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, this new information is giving people even more reason to reach for the kettle.

The study was conducted by the Department of Psychological Medicine at National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and found that people who drink tea regularly a have a 50 per cent lower risk of cognitive decline.

Furthermore, those who have the APOE e4 gene – which is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease – were found to be at 86 per cent lower risk of cognitive decline if they drank tea regularly.

Researchers focussed on people who used tea leaves, such as green tea, black tea, and oolong tea for their daily brew and did not specify if teabags would have the same affect.

Lead investigator for the study Feng Lei said it was the antioxidants in tea that helped keep the brain sharp.

“These compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential and other bioactive properties that may protect the brain from vascular damage and neurodegeneration,” Lei told Medical News Today.

“Our understanding of the detailed biological mechanisms is still very limited so we do need more research to find out definitive answers.”

How many cups of tea do you drink everyday? Do you use tea leaves or teabags?