Drinking tea 'can help to prevent dementia'

People who drink tea have less chance of developing dementia in later life, according to US scientists.

Researchers have analysed results from six investigations into the effect of caffeinated drinks on cognitive ability and memory, the Daily Mail reports.

Participants took a memory test used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease and then recorded how often they drank coffee and tea.

They were then asked to repeat the test some time later, with a gap of ten years for some of those involved.

In all of the studies, tea drinkers fared better in the second tests, showing their mental ability had not reduced as sharply as those in a control group.

One of the studies analysed, involving 1,500 men and women from Singapore, suggested drinking more than four cups of tea per day can reduce cognitive decline by three-quarters.

Jessica Smith of the Alzheimer's Society said: "We now need to understand the biology of these findings and whether they could be important for the prevention or treatment of dementia."

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