Green Tea Extract for the Brain: Green tea has a truly extraordinary effect on the brain and your performance. It may seem contradictory, but tea drinkers have always enjoyed both the calming and stimulating effects of green tea. But how exactly does this work, and which substances in green tea are responsible for these opposing, yet highly complementary effects? You can find all the information about green tea extract and its effects on the brain here.
What is Green Tea Extract?
Demand for green tea extract has risen sharply in Germany in recent years, as word has spread about its positive properties. In China and India, it has been used for thousands of years for holistic health. As many scientific studies show, green tea extract can impact overall brain performance. At the same time, it is also said to have a calming effect. However, more clinical studies are needed to make generally valid health claims. The fact that these two benefits of tea have long been valued in China is demonstrated by the following sentences in a Chinese book: "Tea awakens the good spirit and wise thoughts. It refreshes your body and calms your mind. If you are depressed, tea will cheer you up." While tea has been known in Asia and the Arab world for thousands of years, it only arrived in Europe in the 17th century.
Green tea extract is made from the leaves of the Camillia sinensis tea plant , but unlike black tea, it is not fermented. To prevent oxidation of the polyphenols contained in the leaves and to inactivate the plant's own enzymes, the leaves are heat-treated after picking during green tea production. The characteristic flavor of the tea comes from the L-theanine contained in the tea leaves. This is present in the leaves at a typical concentration of 6%. The tannins contained in green tea cause a somewhat more bitter taste than comparable tea varieties. Furthermore, the green tea leaves are rolled. This process is also used in the production of black tea. However, this has no impact on the aroma or effect, as this processing merely makes the leaves supple again so that they can be processed more easily in the subsequent process. This gentle process preserves the high-quality active ingredients in the tea leaves, which essentially account for the effect of green tea extract. The ingredients are said to have many beneficial properties.
Take-Home Message #1: Green tea extract is extracted from the tea leaves using a gentle process and is therefore more effective than other types of tea.
How does green tea extract work?
Green tea and the active ingredients it contains are considered beneficial in many ways. The caffeine contained in tea takes you to a higher level. This effect can also be achieved through regular consumption of green tea. Its caffeine content is responsible for the tea's energizing effect. But why can green tea also have a calming effect? The main reason for this is L-theanine , a free amino acid found almost exclusively in tea, especially green tea. L-theanine can cross the blood-brain barrier and influence the concentrations of various neurotransmitters (nerve cell messengers) in the brain, such as the neurotransmitters noradrenaline and dopamine . Many neurotransmitters are responsible for a state of deep relaxation and calm, as well as for a feeling of contentment and well-being. Once the "worry mode" is switched off, you can concentrate better and focus on your thoughts, which results in improved learning and memory performance.
In our modern, hectic times, the benefits of a simple substance that can relieve some of our stress cannot be overestimated. And so, especially in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, L-theanine has long been used as an integral ingredient in supplements to promote calm and concentration.
A study by the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology at the University of California has also examined the antioxidant effects of green tea in more detail.² Epigallocatechin, or ECGC for short , is one of the polyphenols found in green tea. It can capture reactive oxygen species in the body and thus protects cells from oxidative stress , i.e., from destruction by free radicals. If your cells are in top shape, you are optimally prepared for your challenges.
Last but not least, green tea extract is said to have another effect. A study by the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Birmingham examined the connection between physical endurance and green tea extract.³ The subjects were given green tea extract. This led to increased levels of free fatty acids in the plasma during exercise, which indicates greater fat burning. The better fat burning functions, the more stable the energy supply can be during exercise. These results from the study by the University of Birmingham indicate that green tea extract can improve endurance. The reason for these improvements are the polyphenolic compounds, so-called catechins, contained in green tea.
Take-Home Message #2: Green tea has numerous effects on your body and mind, as several studies have already proven. However, more clinical studies are needed to make general health claims.
The effect of green tea extract on the brain
A study by the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, examined the effects of green tea on the brain. The researchers looked more closely at its effect on memory performance.⁴ In the double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 91 subjects with mild cognitive impairment were examined. Half of them received green tea extract with added L-theanine, while the placebo group received maltodextrin and lactose. After 16 weeks, neurophysiological tests were conducted on both groups. The subjects who received green tea performed significantly better. The subjects had to solve memory tasks while being scanned with an MRI. This imaging technique allows scientists to determine which areas of the brain are activated during a task and the intensity of this activation.
The researchers found that green tea extract increased both activity in and connections between precisely those regions of the cerebral cortex that are crucial for working memory. And—crucially—this increased activity induced by the green tea extract also led to improved cognitive performance in the subjects. The study results could indicate a positive influence of green tea on short-term plasticity, the short-term adaptation of the transmission strength of the brain's synapses.
Take-Home Message #3: Green tea strengthens and can influence several mechanisms in the body. The energizing effect of L-theanine and caffeine provides mental clarity.
The advantages at a glance
1. Also brings you to a higher level
2. Power combination
3. Stimulates digestion
Green Tea Extract: Dosage, Uses and Buying
It's primarily health-conscious people who pay attention to their diet and regularly drink green tea. It should be noted that most people use the classic tea and not the extract. It would be extremely beneficial for everyone to buy the extract and incorporate it into their daily diet. Even better than green tea infusion is green tea extract, as it contains more active ingredients. Compared to regular green tea, green tea extract has the advantage of containing the active ingredients in a concentrated form. Therefore, you need to use much less to achieve the same effect as if you simply brewed the tea leaves with water to make a tea. The concentration of the active ingredients is then, of course, much lower than in the extract.
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Studies
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3518171/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3355196/
3. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/3/778.full
4. http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2011-06/green-tea-and-l-theanine-mild-cognitive-impairment/
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