Recent findings suggest that Green tea, which is already known for its antioxidant properties, which helps boost the immune system and lose weight, has also been shown to be helpful in raising the face of children with Down syndrome.
According to a new study, green tea adds facial remodeling to children with Down syndrome. The study, led by Belgian and Spanish researchers, was published in Natural Scientific Reports.
Researchers have found that the discovery of green tea extract may reduce facial dysmorphology in children with Down syndrome when taken within the first three years of life.
Additional experimental studies in mice confirmed positive results in lower values. However, they have also found that high doses can interfere with facial and bone growth. More research is needed to fully understand the effects of green tea plants and therefore should always be taken under medical supervision.
Down syndrome is caused by the presence of a third copy of chromosome 21, which leads to overproduction of genes in this area and leads to many physical and mental disabilities. Another gene, DYRK1A, contributes to altering brain and bone growth in people with Down syndrome. The green tea compound EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) is known to inhibit DYRK1A activity, although it has other mechanisms of action. Previous studies have demonstrated EGCG’s ability to improve cognition in adults with Down syndrome.
In a new study, researchers analyzed the effect of green tea supplements on facial growth in Down syndrome. In the experimental part of the study, EGCG supplements were tested in mice in different doses.
In the second part of the study, they did research looking at children with Down syndrome and beyond. The project, led by the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the University of Barcelona in Spain, and KU Leuven in Belgium, is an international effort involving researchers from the University of Central Florida, La Salle – University Ramon Llull, and IMIM – Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute.
In a study of rats, conducted at KU Leuven, researchers began treatment before birth, while the kids grew in their mother’s womb, by adding a low or high amount of green tea leaves to their drinking water. “Low-dose treatment has had a positive effect on mice modeling Down syndrome,” notes Professor Greetje Vande Velde (KU Leuven), lead author of the study.
Velde added, “60 percent of them showed a facial expression similar to that of the ruling party.”
“Higher-level treatment, however, has produced more mixed results, and disrupted normal facial development in some cases, resulting in additional dysmorphology. This has occurred in all mice, the Down syndrome model and the control group,” Velde continued.
The observational study was established in Spain and involved participants from North America. 287 children between the ages of 0 and 18 participated, including children with Down syndrome who performed (n = 13) or did not (n = 63) receive EGCG supplementation. The entire control group was self-medication and did not follow the prescribed procedure.
“All participants were photographed in different directions to create their 3D face model,” explains Neus Martinez-Abadias, a professor at the University of Barcelona and author of the study’s author.
Martinez-Abadias added, “We use 21 world symbols, and the distances between them, to compare the faces of participants. In the smallest group between the ages of 0 and 3, we have seen that 57 percent of long distances are very different when you compare children’s faces. with Down syndrome who have never received treatment in those of children who do not have Down syndrome.In children and adolescents receiving EGCG treatment, the difference was very small, by only 25 percent. Facial dysmorphology is reduced and children with or without Down syndrome look similar. “
“We did not show the same effect in the adolescent group. Even if treated with green tea ingredients, children with Down syndrome still show a 50 percent difference compared to the control group. These findings suggest that green tea only increases facial growth when treated at the first stage of life when face and skull it is growing rapidly, “said Martinez-Abadias.
Despite the potential benefits we have seen, we should treat these findings with caution in view of the fact that they are original and are based on experimental research, “warns Professor Vande Velde.” More research is needed to evaluate the effects of supplements containing EGCG, the appropriate dose, and their general therapeutic potential. We also need to look at the potential effects on other organs and systems, not just on facial growth. This requires initial basic research in a rat-labed laboratory, followed by multidisciplinary treatment studies and controlled use of these supplements. “
“Apart from the potential benefits we have seen, we must carefully manage these findings as they are considered to be the first and are based on experimental research,” warns Professor Vande Velde.