Tea Drinking Can Reduce Depression In Senior Citizens
This is good news as depression is a common occurrence in seniors aged 60 and older. Indeed, statistics show that 7 percent of seniors report experiencing major depressive feelings.
Depression is common among older adults, with 7% of those over the age of 60 years reporting “major depressive disorder.”
A recent study by scientists at the National University in Singapore found a significant link between tea drinking and lower levels of depression in seniors.
Tea: Study Results
Over 13,000 Chinese seniors took part in this study, between 2005 and 2014. The study was part of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS).
The results showed a universal link between tea drinking and lower reports of depression.
In addition, other factors also reduced depression as well, including living in an urban setting. Other positive characteristics that were noted were being educated, married, financially comfortable, in better health, and socially engaged.
The results also showed that the benefits of tea drinking are strongest for males aged 65 to 79 years. Possibly, this is due tea’s properties being more potent for the early stage of health deterioration.
Looking at the connection the other way around, drinkers appeared to share certain characteristics.
The drinkers also exhibited higher cognitive and physical function and were more socially involved. On the other hand, they were also more likely to drink alcohol and smoke.
The next phase of this research will focus on different types of tea, such as green, black, and oolong tea on depression in seniors. The question is — is there one specific tea that is more effective than others?
The beneficial effects of this beverage in lowering the high rates of depression in seniors appears to cut across ethnicities. In a previous studies, similar positive results were found in Singaporeans.