Matcha activatesdopamine and serotonin receptors easing anxiety in mice.
Researchers atKumamoto University announced in July results of tests that suggest addingmatcha to your diet could ease your worries. Japanese researchers subjectedmice to stress in an “elevated plus maze” to study the tea’s hypotheticalcalming effects. They discovered mechanisms that activate D1 receptors andserotonic 5-HT1A receptors that are closely related to anxiousbehavior, according to a report in Science Daily.
The research was laterpublished in the Journalof Functional Foods.
“Matcha is thoughtto be beneficial for brain functions; however, only a few scientific studieshave shown the effects of matcha tea powder on psychiatric behavior,” accordingto the abstract. “These results suggest that Matcha tea powderexerts anxiolytic effect through the activation of the dopaminergic andserotonergic systems,” according to the abstract.
The study describes themaze as an elevated, plus-shaped, narrow platform with two walled arms thatprovide safety for the test subject. It is used as an anxiety test for rodents basedon the fact that animals experiencing higher anxiety will spend more time inthe safer walled-off areas.
“Using this test,researchers found that mouse anxiety was reduced after consuming matcha powderor matcha extract. In addition, when the anxiolytic activity of differentmatcha extracts were evaluated, a stronger effect was found with the extractderived using 80% ethanol in comparison to the extract derived from only hotwater. In other words, a poorly water-soluble matcha component has strongeranxiolytic effects than a component that is easily soluble in water,” accordingto researchers.
"Although furtherepidemiological research is necessary, the results of our study show thatMatcha, which has been used as medicinal agent for many years, may be quitebeneficial to the human body," said study leader, Dr. Yuki Kurauchi."We hope that our research into matcha can lead to health benefitsworldwide."
Source: KumamotoUniversity. "Drinking Matcha tea can reduce anxiety." Science Daily, 9 July 2019.
Journal ofFunctional Foods, Anxiolytic Activities of Matcha Powder, Vol. 59,August 2019, pg. 301-308