DRINKING PEPPERMINT TEA CAN HELP IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY!

 

Many people turn to coffee every day for a quick boost in mental focus and working memory. Yet some find this leads to a later “crash” or interferes with sleep. Others don’t like coffee because of stomach acidity and other issues. As an alternative, scientists have developed an instant spearmint herbal tea that targets working memory and is stimulant-free.

Manufacturer of Menthol Crystals in India brings in this article some recent human evidence demonstrating that this tea quickly and sustainably boosts mental focus, attention, and concentration—while supporting restful sleep at night. Lab and animal data suggest that spearmint polyphenols may promote neurogenesis—the growth of new brain cells—while protecting existing neurons and boosting neurotransmitter levels.

Peppermint tea may be more useful than just a refreshing way to help break up a hectic day; a new study suggests it can also improve both short- and long-term working memory. The research, presented at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference in England last week, adds yet another health benefit to peppermint tea’s impressive resume.

For the study, researchers from Northumbria University tested the effects of certain herbs and scents on mood and memory. The team asked 180 volunteers to complete a questionnaire relating to their mood and then consume a randomly chosen hot drink —  either peppermint or chamomile tea, or hot water. Twenty minutes after finishing their drinks, the participants completed tests meant to assess their memories among a range of other cognitive functions. They were also asked to take another mood test.

Results showed a link between peppermint tea and enhanced mood and cognition. Those who drank peppermint tea also exhibited improved long-term memory, working memory, and alertness. On the other hand, volunteers given chamomile tea experienced a calming sedative effect, which the team noted also seemed to slow their memory recall and attention speed.

Spearmint Boosts Attention and Concentration

The first study was a small, pilot, open-label study—meaning there was no placebo group. It consisted of 11 healthy adults experiencing typical age-related problems with memory.

The patients underwent a battery of computerized cognition tests one hour before taking the first dose to establish a baseline of cognitive function. Then they took  900 mg of spearmint extract once a day with breakfast for 30 days.

The volunteers demonstrated significant improvements in attention and concentration as early as 2.25 hours after a single dose of spearmint extract—demonstrating just how quickly the cognitive effects start taking place. By four hours after the initial dose, average scores showed:

·         46% improvement on a task requiring attention and concentration,

·         121% improvement on a second task requiring attention and concentration, and

·         39% boost in planning ability.

Benefits continued to improve over the next 30 days, with the participants demonstrating:

·         35% improvement on a test of reasoning,

·         125% improvement on a test of attention and concentration, and

·         48% boost in planning ability.

This study showed both the immediate and longer-term benefits of supplementation with spearmint extract on important aspects of brain function.

Clinical Evidence To Show Supporting Effect Of Spearmint Extract On  Cognition And Working Memory

Encouraged by these initial findings, scientists subjected the spearmint extract to the most rigorous type of clinical study: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Investigators enlisted 90 volunteers averaging 59.4 years of age who had age-associated memory impairment.  This is not a memory disorder but is simply a general, age-related decline in memory.

This study evaluated the effect of the spearmint extract on alertness, mood, and sleep, as well as working memory and spatial working memory.

For this study, subjects took either 900 mg or 600 mg of the spearmint extract or a placebo every day at breakfast for 90 days. The extract was standardized to contain 24% total phenolics and 14.5% rosmarinic acid, one of spearmint’s brain-protective components.

After 90 days, the subjects taking the spearmint extract showed an approximate 15% improvement of their working memory and a 9% improvement in spatial working memory compared to placebo. These were statistically significant differences that indicated enhanced alertness of brain function. Furthermore, the study author wrote that:

“These data suggest that this extract could improve working memory equivalent to that which may have diminished over a decade of life.”

As an added benefit, those in the spearmint group reported improvement in the time it took to fall asleep—and on awakening, they were more alert.

Improved mood was also observed by using a standard psychological-rating scale. These treatment effects alone could make a big difference in how well we are able to function on any given day.

Together, these studies make it clear that this novel spearmint extract significantly helps aging individuals to stay focused and on-task, through both enhanced cognition and working memory—and via improved sleep.

As the author of the recent clinical study wrote, spearmint “may be a beneficial nutritional intervention for cognitive health in older subjects with age-associated mental impairment.”

In a second experiment, the team tested whether herbal scents could have a measurable effect on the cognitive abilities of older individuals. This time, the team had 150 healthy volunteers aged 65 and older sit in a room scented with rosemary or lavender essential oils. A control group sat in an unscented room. At the end of the experiment, volunteers were asked to take memory tests and complete mood assessments just like the previous group.

Once again, the herbs had affected the volunteers’ mood and memory. Those who had been put in a rosemary-scented room showed greater memory, scoring an average 15 percent higher than those who had been placed in an unscented room. Those placed in the lavender-scented rooms, however, showed higher levels of calmness, which once again seemed to worsen their memories.

Each of these herbs have been associated with varying effects on mood and cognitive abilities for centuries, and this study provides scientific backing to the folklore. In addition to improving memory and alertness, peppermint has also been associated with reducing headache pain, nausea, gas, indigestion, colds, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Some even suggest that sipping on peppermint tea can relieve your hangover.

Study author Dr. Mark Moss said that while these benefits remain unproven, they suggest peppermint could play an active role in improving our mental performance.

“It is interesting to see the contrasting effects that different herbs can have on both mood and memory, and our research suggests that they could have beneficial effects, particularly in older age groups,” Moss said in a statement. “If you were otherwise healthy, then this research suggests that there is an opportunity to have an improved memory.”