Green Tea and Vitamin B3 Mix May Help Improve Brain Health

Key Points:
- A green tea antioxidant called EGCG, when combined with vitamin B3, helped restore energy levels and reduce Alzheimer’s-related protein buildup in mouse brain cells.

- Taking vitamin B3 as a pill is not likely to help the brain because it breaks down in the gut before reaching the brain.

- Eating foods rich in vitamin B3 and other nutrients, like the MIND diet, might lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.


A recent animal study shows that a treatment combining a green tea antioxidant with a form of vitamin B3, called nicotinamide, may help rejuvenate old brain cells and remove harmful protein plaques linked to Alzheimer’s.


Earlier studies in humans have also connected green tea and vitamin B3 from food with better memory and brain health.


What Did the Study Find?

The study, published in the journal GeroScience, found that a mix of EGCG and nicotinamide helped restore GTP levels in mouse brain cells.
GTP is an energy compound that decreases with age and is linked to Alzheimer’s.

After just 24 hours of treatment with the EGCG and B3 mix, GTP levels in mouse brain cells looked like those of younger cells.
Higher GTP levels helped reduce stress and clear harmful amyloid protein clumps that are connected to Alzheimer’s.

Although the results are promising, it's too early to recommend green tea and B3 supplements for brain health.


Why Oral EGCG and B3 Won’t Help Brain Cells
Taking EGCG and B3 as pills probably won’t improve memory or treat Alzheimer’s.


Dr. Gregory J. Brewer, the lead author of the study and a professor at the University of California, Irvine, found that oral B3 supplements didn’t help in an earlier trial.
He explained that B3 is broken down by gut bacteria before it can reach the brain. More research is needed, but future options might include patches, nasal sprays, or under-the-tongue supplements.

What About Drinking Green Tea Alone?

Some studies suggest that green tea might help improve memory, reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and prevent dementia.
It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and brain-protecting benefits.

An observational study with 8,766 people without dementia found that drinking green tea regularly was