Elderly people who drink several cups of green tea a day are less likely to suffer from depression, probably due to a "feel good" chemical found in this type of tea, Japanese researchers said.
Several studies have 1 drinking green tea to lessening psychological problems and Kaijun Niu, of Tohoku University Graduate School, and colleagues found people 2 70 and older who drank four or more cups of green tea daily were 44 percent 3 likely to experience depression.
Green tea is widely 4 in many Asian countries, 5 China and Japan.
Niu's team 6 1,058 relatively healthy elderly men and women. About 34 percent of the men and 39 percent of the women had symptoms of 7 , according to the study that was 8 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
A total of 488 participants said they 9 four or more cups of green tea a day, 284 said they downed two to three cups 10 and the rest reported having one or fewer cups daily.
According to the researchers, the 11 effect of drinking more 12 tea on alleviating symptoms of depression did not 13 after they factored in social and economic status, gender, diet, history of medical problems and 14 of antidepressants.
There was no 15 between consumption of black or oolong tea, or coffee, and 16 symptoms of depression.
A green tea component, the amino acid thiamine（硫胺素）, which is 17 to have a tranquilizing（镇静的） 18 on the brain, may 19 the "potentially beneficial effect" shown in the current study, Niu noted, 20 that more study is needed.
( ) 1. A. linked B. taken C. considered D. regarded
( ) 2. A. aging B. aged C. years D. age
( ) 3. A. more B. little C. less D. much
( ) 4. A. sold B. planted C. spread D. consumed
( ) 5. A. including B. concluding C. containing D. considering
( ) 6. A. looked for B. checked C. investigated D. asked
( ) 7. A. optimism B. happiness C. bitterness D. depression
( ) 8. A. published B. come out C. appeared D. showed
( ) 9. A. ate B. drank C. swallowed D. chewed
( ) 10. A. weekly B. daily C. monthly D. yearly
( ) 11. A. apparent B. light C. huge D. gentle
( ) 12. A. black B. oolong C. coffee D. green
( ) 13. A. fade B. disappear C. run D. decease
( ) 14. A. influence B. effect C. use D. result
( ) 15. A. association B. use C. comparison D. difference
( ) 16. A. lower B. increase C. strengthen D. cause
( ) 17. A. assumed B. thought C. imaged D. hoped
( ) 18. A. effect B. affect C. effort D. outcome
( ) 19. A. report B. confirm C. complete D. explain
( ) 20. A. adding B. addressing C. speaking D. saying