Smoking addiction reduced by tea ingredient
Scientists from Chinese Academy of Sciences have found a way to use tea to inhibit nicotine addiction. They identified theanine, an amino acid commonly found in tea, as an active ingredient to help reduce addiction to cigarettes with better efficacy and fewer side effects. The study, carried on over 100 male smokers, found that the participants' average daily cigarette consumption decreased by about 50% after using filters containing theanine for one month, with additional drops in consumption after prolonged use. Toxicological studies also showed that the tea filters could significantly reduce the intake of carcinogenic materials such as tar and free radicals generated by cigarette smoking.