![]() | Can Tea Keep Alzheimer's Disease Away? |
![]() Drinking green and black tea may help people with Alzheimer's disease. In laboratory experiments, researchers have found that green and black tea act in a way similar to that of some drugs used to treat people with Alzheimer's disease. These drugs target an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE). AChE breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. By stopping the action of AChE, these drugs can increase the levels of acetylcholine in the brain and improve cognitive function (memory, attention) in people with Alzheimer's disease. New research shows that green and black tea also stop the action of AChE.
It is not known what specific compound in tea is responsible for inhibiting the action of AChE or beta-secretase. Moreover, the effectiveness of drinking tea is controversial because countries where people drink a lot of tea (e.g., China, Japan) do not have an especially low incidence of Alzheimer's disease.
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