Researchers at the University of Missouri have found a compound found in Green Tea could play a key role in staving off a disease that affects as many as 5.5 million Americans.
In a study done on mice, the researchers found the compound, EGCG, along with voluntary exercise slows the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s has been linked to increased inflammation, so anti-oxidants that fight that inflammation have been suggested as a possible way to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
The researchers found that mice given EGCG in their drinking water showed fewer signs, in tests, of the disease, which causes the mice to forget how to nest properly, among other things.
The mice who took the EGCG also showed a decrease in the amyloid-beta peptide that clusters in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, causing amyloid plaques.
The University is exploring further studies of green tea extracts along with other botanical remedies.