A recent U.S. animal study shows that catechins in green tea help protect the brain from damage caused by sleep apnea.
According to a Reuters report, researchers at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky added the antioxidant substance in green tea, catechins, to the drinking water of some rats and conducted experiments to make them intermittently hypoxic, simulating the hypoxic effects of sleep apnea on the brain. The results showed that catechins played a protective role in the rats' brains.
The study also showed that compared to rats drinking ordinary water, rats drinking water containing catechins had better memory.
It is reported that sleep apnea is a sleep breathing disorder characterized by persistent intermittent breathing during nighttime sleep due to poor airflow in the pharyngeal airway. It can cause brain hypoxia, affect memory and learning ability, and has been found to increase the risk of developing hypertension.