Green tea may improve mental health in the elderly, study finds

Green tea has long been lauded for its potential physical health benefits, and researchers in Japan have recently discovered it has can be good for mental health as well. According to Reuters, studies have shown that elderly people who drink several cups of green tea a day are less likely to suffer from depression.


The news source reports that the studies, which focused 1,058 on men and women over the age of 70, discovered that those who drink for or more cups of the beverage every day were 44 percent less likely to show signs of depression.


While further studies are needed to confirm the exact effect that green tea may have on an older adults psyche, Niu told the news outlet that the amino acid theanine, an ingredient in the tea, is believed to have a tranquilizing effect on one's brain.


The findings could be especially important as depression remains a significant problem in older adults.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimate 5 million people over the age of 65 suffer from subsyndromal depression, a condition that has symptoms that fall just short of clinical depression.


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