J Food Bioact

Journal of Food Bioactives, ISSN 2637-8752 print, 2637-8779 online

Journal website www.isnff-jfb.com

Review

Volume 35, September 2026, pages 1-11

Matcha (Japanese ground green tea) and cognitive function

**Table 1.** Randomized controlled trials of the effects of matcha on cognitive functions in humans
Authors	Participants	Independent variables	Dependent variables	Results	Conclusions	Limitations
Dietz et al. (2017)	23 young adults (4 men, 19 women; mean age 24.7 years).	Matcha tea, matcha bar (single dose of 4 g of matcha powder), placebo tea, placebo bar.	Cognitive performance (attention, information processing, working memory, episodic memory) assessed 60 min after matcha or placebo administration.	Significant improvements in basic attention abilities and psychomotor speed after intake of matcha tea and matcha bar (better performance after matcha tea than matcha bar). Little effect on other cognitive tasks.	Improved basic attentional functions after matcha intake. Food matrix plays a role.	Small sample size. Limited generalization.
Sakurai et al. (2020)	54 elderly adults without mild cognitive impairment or dementia (15 men, 39 women; mean age 73.6 years).	Daily matcha tea powder (1.5 g) or placebo for 12 weeks.	MoCA, MMSE, Wechsler Memory Scale–Delayed Recall.	No significant changes in MoCA and MMSE after 12 weeks. No significant differences in MoCA, MMSE, and memory test scores between active and placebo groups. Significant improvement in MoCA score and MoCA language domain in females of active group versus placebo. No changes in men.	Possible protective effect of matcha powder against cognitive decline in elderly women.	Short intervention period of 12 weeks. Small number of male participants.
Baba et al. (2021b)	42 young adults (16 men, 26 women; mean age 29.8 years).	Daily matcha (2 g) or placebo for 2 weeks.	Subjective fatigue. Cognitive functions (Cognitrax battery) under mild psychological stress.	No effect of matcha on fatigue, concentration, or thinking. Significantly faster reaction times in attentional function. Significant increase in correct responses for positive emotions in emotion perception test.	Mitigating effect of matcha on decline in attentional function. Beneficial effect of matcha on social cognition.	Short intervention period of 2 weeks. Limited generalization.
Baba et al. (2021a)	51 middle-aged and elderly adults (23 men, 28 women; mean age 58 years) with self-reported decline in cognitive function.	Single dose and continuous administration for 12 weeks of matcha (2 g), caffeine (66 mg, same as in matcha), or placebo.	Cognitive functions (Cognitrax battery) under mild stress.	Only acute beneficial effect of caffeine on reaction time and focus. Better improvement of work performance by matcha than caffeine. Better effects of continuous intake of matcha under stress compared to caffeine.	Improved attention and work performance after matcha under mild psychological stress compared to caffeine alone.	Short intervention period of 12 weeks. Limited generalization.
Uchida et al. (2024)	99 older adults (64 with subjective cognitive decline, 35 with mild cognitive impairment).	Daily matcha (2 g) or placebo for 12 months.	MoCA-J, ADCS-ADL, MMSE-J, RBANS, ADAS-Jcog, Cognitrax cognitive battery, PSQI	Significantly improved perception of facial emotions after matcha intake. Improved sleep quality (PSQI) with matcha intake. No significant changes in MoCA-J and ADCS-MCI-ADL scores after matcha intake.	Improved emotional perception and sleep quality in mild cognitive impairment. Possible cognitive enhancement.	Small sample size. No objective measures of sleep quality.

Table 1. Randomized controlled trials of the effects of matcha on cognitive functions in humans

Authors

Participants

Independent variables

Dependent variables

Results

Conclusions

Limitations

Dietz et al. (2017)

23 young adults (4 men, 19 women; mean age 24.7 years).

Matcha tea, matcha bar (single dose of 4 g of matcha powder), placebo tea, placebo bar.

Cognitive performance (attention, information processing, working memory, episodic memory) assessed 60 min after matcha or placebo administration.

Significant improvements in basic attention abilities and psychomotor speed after intake of matcha tea and matcha bar (better performance after matcha tea than matcha bar). Little effect on other cognitive tasks.

Improved basic attentional functions after matcha intake. Food matrix plays a role.

Small sample size. Limited generalization.

Sakurai et al. (2020)

54 elderly adults without mild cognitive impairment or dementia (15 men, 39 women; mean age 73.6 years).

Daily matcha tea powder (1.5 g) or placebo for 12 weeks.

MoCA, MMSE, Wechsler Memory Scale–Delayed Recall.

No significant changes in MoCA and MMSE after 12 weeks. No significant differences in MoCA, MMSE, and memory test scores between active and placebo groups. Significant improvement in MoCA score and MoCA language domain in females of active group versus placebo. No changes in men.

Possible protective effect of matcha powder against cognitive decline in elderly women.

Short intervention period of 12 weeks. Small number of male participants.

Baba et al. (2021b)

42 young adults (16 men, 26 women; mean age 29.8 years).

Daily matcha (2 g) or placebo for 2 weeks.

Subjective fatigue. Cognitive functions (Cognitrax battery) under mild psychological stress.

No effect of matcha on fatigue, concentration, or thinking. Significantly faster reaction times in attentional function. Significant increase in correct responses for positive emotions in emotion perception test.

Mitigating effect of matcha on decline in attentional function. Beneficial effect of matcha on social cognition.

Short intervention period of 2 weeks. Limited generalization.

Baba et al. (2021a)

51 middle-aged and elderly adults (23 men, 28 women; mean age 58 years) with self-reported decline in cognitive function.

Single dose and continuous administration for 12 weeks of matcha (2 g), caffeine (66 mg, same as in matcha), or placebo.

Cognitive functions (Cognitrax battery) under mild stress.

Only acute beneficial effect of caffeine on reaction time and focus. Better improvement of work performance by matcha than caffeine. Better effects of continuous intake of matcha under stress compared to caffeine.

Improved attention and work performance after matcha under mild psychological stress compared to caffeine alone.

Short intervention period of 12 weeks. Limited generalization.

Uchida et al. (2024)

99 older adults (64 with subjective cognitive decline, 35 with mild cognitive impairment).

Daily matcha (2 g) or placebo for 12 months.

MoCA-J, ADCS-ADL, MMSE-J, RBANS, ADAS-Jcog, Cognitrax cognitive battery, PSQI

Significantly improved perception of facial emotions after matcha intake. Improved sleep quality (PSQI) with matcha intake. No significant changes in MoCA-J and ADCS-MCI-ADL scores after matcha intake.

Improved emotional perception and sleep quality in mild cognitive impairment. Possible cognitive enhancement.

Small sample size. No objective measures of sleep quality.