Green Tea Alleviate Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

by Julian
(Bromley)

A new laboratory study1(in vivo) has been carried out to try to understand whether components of green tea can help with PTSD. In particular, an antioxidant polyphenol found in green tea, a catechin, known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), has been shown to help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The study found that a single prolonged stress event caused an impairment in cognitive function. However, when EGCG was given daily for 14 days after stress, the impairment improved. In other words, EGCG protected against the damage caused by the stressful experience. Based on their findings, the authors proposed that ECGC could play a useful therapeutic role for people suffering from a post-traumatic stress disorder.

The proposed mechanism for the beneficial effects of the green tea antioxidant EGCG seems to involve pathways limiting the biochemical changes which cause neuroinflammation in the brain. Also, EGCG may reverse the dysfunctional aspects of learning and memory-related behaviour triggered by a traumatic stress episode.

Source: Lee B, Shim I, Lee H, Hahm DH (2019). Effects of Epigallocatechin Gallate on Behavioral and Cognitive Impairments, Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Dysfunction, and Alternations in Hippocampal BDNF Expression Under Single Prolonged Stress. J Med Food. 2018 Oct;21(10):979-989. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2017.4161. Epub 2018 Sep 29.