How Green Tea Beats Alzheimer's Disease: Part 1

Sencha Karigane
Originally uploaded by Chashitsu_LaSere

Green tea is my all time favorite health remedy. If you check out all the scientific literature it is insane how many diseases and disorders are benefited by this ancient herb. Because of this (and the fact that i like the taste and relaxing feeling green tea gives you) I am writting a multipart series on green tea as related to Alzheimer's disease. Why? because green tea has so many modes of action against Alzheimer's disease and dementia that it would be impractical to write about them all in one post.

Green tea comes from the unfermented leaves of the camellia Sinensis plant. It has been consumed in east Asia for thousands of years and consequently has been well studied. First to understand green tea's modes of action we need to know what problems areas in the Alzheimer's disease model to act on. These targets are explained here in Why Alzheimer's disease happens: Targets for stopping, slowing and reversing Alzheimer's disease. The one in this post is pretty simple. Chelate metal ions in the brain.

We know that for beta-amyloid plaques to form that metal ions are required. In particular iron seems to have a greater role in Alzheimer's then any other metals. Very often high levels of free iron are found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients not to mention copper, aluminum and a whole host of other metals. This occurs because over time these metals accumulate in organs like the brain. So generally the older you are the higher metal concentrations will be in all of your organs. So the answer to the problem is simple. Remove them. Here is where green tea packs its first punch. Green tea contains molecules called catechins. One in particular called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is very powerful at chelating iron. And it can do this in the brain. Chelating iron has two effects.

1. Preventing the iron molecule reacting with other molecules - when free iron encounters beta-amyloid it helps it to form plaques. When iron encounters other molecules it can damage them directly or generate ROS that damage surroundings.

2. Aiding elimination of iron from the brain and body - when EGCG is bound to an iron molecule it acts as a carrier enabling other biological systems remove it from both the brain and the body.

This is just the start and not even the most impressive activity of green tea. Even if you have never touched a cup of green tea before, anytime is a good time to start. Your body and your mind will thank you for it. Stay tuned for more about this incredible herb....