Green tea 'cuts Alzheimer's risk'

[Celebration]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4261558.stm

After treating Alzheimer's mice for several months with daily injections of pure EGCG, the researchers observed a dramatic decrease - as much as 54% - of brain-clogging Alzheimer's plaques.

Lead researcher Dr Jun Tan said: "The findings suggest that a concentrated component of green tea can decrease brain beta-amyloid plaque formation.

"If beta-amyloid pathology in this Alzheimer's mouse model is representative of Alzheimer's disease pathology in humans, EGCG dietary supplementation may be effective in preventing and treating the disease."

Green tea contains many antioxidants, including those known as flavonoids, that can protect against damage to the brain caused by charged particles called free radicals

[PSPS]

1. I guess Dr. Tan has recently acquired a position in a tea company.

[moggie]

2. Misleading headline

The article makes it clear that other flavinoids in green tea block the beneficial effect of EGCG, hence the proposal for EGCG dietary supplements rather than just drinking tea.

[Celebration]

3. yes and

they also point out that they don't know if the amyloid plaques are the cause of Alzheimer's or just a symptom.

So there is a ways to go. There are supplements from green tea now that claim to be 90% EGCG. I don't think I am gonig to start taking it. I have Alzheimer's in my family, though, and when I get particularly forgetful or foggy feeling I take NADH. And every time I read something about the disease I start picking up my exercies program.