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# Green tea may reduce hypertension induced cognitive impairment
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/green_tea_hypertension_memory_1015120734/
- Published: 2012-10-15T08:33:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:55:30.000Z
- Description: Mao-Hsien Wang and colleagues in Taiwan gave the green tea catechin EGCG to spontaneously hypertensive rats and report that it lowered blood pressure, curbed the rise in locomotor activity, improved water-maze learning and memory, and reduced lipid peroxide production.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

By Jimmy Downs

Monday Oct 15, 2012 ([foodconsumer.org](http://www.foodconsumer.rog/?ref=foodconsumer.org)) -- A new study in Behavioural Pharmacology suggests that drinking green tea or taking green tea extract supplements may help prevent hypertension induced oxidative stress associated with the impairment in learning and memory.

The study led by Mao-Hsien Wang and colleagues in Taiwan, China showed that green tea catechin (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) treatment reduced blood pressure, prevented much of the increased locomotor activity, and improving the learning and memory capacity in rats with hypertension.

Hypertension induces oxidative stress, which has been associated with alterations in neural cytoarchitecture and cognitive dysfunction, the researchers say in their report. And green tea catechins, especially (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), possess potent antioxidative properties against various oxidative damages. 

In this study, the researchers first examined the effect of hypertension in rats on locomotor activity, learning and memory, and then tested EGCG for its therapeutic effect on hypertension-induced cognitive impairment. 

For the study, the tail-cuff method was used to measure blood pressure to confirm high blood pressure in spontaneous hypertension rats and the Morris water maze was used to assess the learning and memory impairment in the rats. Locomotor activity was found increased in the study rats.

Daily EGCG treatment reduced the progressive increase in blood pressure in spontaneous hypertension rats, and prevented much of the increased locomotor activity, and improved the learning and memory capacity. 

EGCG treatment also lowered the increased level of lipid peroxide production in spontaneous hypertension rats and boosted the antioxidation power in the blood that was found lower in the study rats. 

Additionally, EGCG decreased the concentration of reactive oxygen species in the hippocampi of spontaneous hypertension rats. 

The researchers concluded "These indicate a therapeutic effect of EGCG in treating hypertension-induced learning and memory impairment, most probably through its powerful antioxidative properties."

In humans, hypertension if left untreated can result in cognitive decline or memory loss or impairment because high blood pressure can cut down on blood flow to the brain, which can damage the brain tissue or neurons, according to a study led by Janyna M. Mercado, PhD and Robin Hilsabeck, PhD and published in Neurology.

Studies have suggested that preventing vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency may help lower high blood pressure.

One study led by T. Larsen of in American Journal of Hypertension Holstebro Hospital in Holstebro, Denmark and colleagues showed supplementation of 75 ug or 3,000 IU cholecalciferol or vitamin D3 per day for 20 weeks lowered 24-hour blood pressure.