A Finnish study found that drinking coffee during midlife can slash your risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The study found that those who drank coffee during midlife had a lower risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease later in life than those who drank no coffee at all. Those who drank three to five cups of coffee a day lowered their risk by a whopping 65 percent.
The lead researcher Miia Kivipelto stated, “We aimed to study the association between coffee and tea consumption at midlife and dementia/AD risk in late-life, because the long-term impact of caffeine on the central nervous system was still unknown, and as the pathologic processes leading to Alzheimer’s disease may start decades before the clinical manifestation of the disease."
Coffee drinking was categorized into three groups: low (0 to 2 cups daily), moderate (3 to 5 cups) and high (more than 5 cups). Tea-drinking was categorized into two groups: those not drinking tea and those who drank at least one cup daily. While all coffee drinkers had a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease than non-drinkers, those who drank moderate amounts of coffee lowered their risk by a surprising 65 percent. Drinking tea had no impact on the risk of developing dementia.
The study results have important implications in the delay or prevention of demenita/AD as there is a large amount of coffee consumption globally. The Finnish study still needs to be confirmed by other studies, but it opens the possibility that dietary interventions could modify the risk of dementia/AD. The Finnish researcher also stated,“the identification of mechanisms of how coffee exerts its protection against dementia/AD might help in the development of new therapies for these diseases.”
The lead researcher Miia Kivipelto stated, “We aimed to study the association between coffee and tea consumption at midlife and dementia/AD risk in late-life, because the long-term impact of caffeine on the central nervous system was still unknown, and as the pathologic processes leading to Alzheimer’s disease may start decades before the clinical manifestation of the disease."
Coffee drinking was categorized into three groups: low (0 to 2 cups daily), moderate (3 to 5 cups) and high (more than 5 cups). Tea-drinking was categorized into two groups: those not drinking tea and those who drank at least one cup daily. While all coffee drinkers had a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease than non-drinkers, those who drank moderate amounts of coffee lowered their risk by a surprising 65 percent. Drinking tea had no impact on the risk of developing dementia.
The study results have important implications in the delay or prevention of demenita/AD as there is a large amount of coffee consumption globally. The Finnish study still needs to be confirmed by other studies, but it opens the possibility that dietary interventions could modify the risk of dementia/AD. The Finnish researcher also stated,“the identification of mechanisms of how coffee exerts its protection against dementia/AD might help in the development of new therapies for these diseases.”
