Carlos Solis
A team of researchers from the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine, USA) has discovered that epigallocatechin gallate, a compound in green tea, combined with nicotinamide — a form of vitamin B3 — blocks the buildup of cellular waste in the brain linked to various diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease.
Let’s unveil the mystery: the study focused on the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate, present in green tea, and nicotinamide — a form of vitamin B3 that the body gets from foods like grains, fish, nuts, legumes, and eggs.
This finding is particularly intriguing because these beneficial compounds can be obtained through the diet, making them widely accessible.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
Experiments on neurons from lab-grown mice showed that epigallocatechin gallate and nicotinamide stimulate production of the energy molecule guanosine triphosphate (GTP) in brain cells. GTP provides the energy neurons need to remove dead or damaged components.
Researchers observed that neurons boosted by GTP help the brain clear harmful accumulations of beta-amyloid proteins — the same clumps long linked to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, according to Science Alert.
Previous research linked GTP to neurodegeneration. The new study showed that GTP levels can decline over time, especially in people with Alzheimer’s. The study found the combination of epigallocatechin gallate and nicotinamide could restore GTP levels to those typical of younger cells.
“This research has shown that GTP was previously underestimated as an energy source that supports vital brain functions,” said biomedical engineer Gregory Brewer, a co-author of the study.
A study earlier this year linked drinking green tea to fewer white matter lesions in the brain, a change tied to a lower risk of dementia, though it did not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
“As people age, the level of neuronal energy in the brain decreases, limiting its ability to remove unwanted proteins and damaged components. We found that restoring energy levels helps neurons return to this crucial cleaning function,” Brewer stated.
The results of the study were published in the journal GeroScience.
Photo: Unsplash
