Drinking 1 to 3 Cups of Coffee or Tea Daily May Lower Dementia Risk

For those worried about dementia, they need not worry if they love drinking tea or coffee. One of the most loved beverages from across the world, tea and coffee are consumed by millions – for some, they are a way to wake them up, while others depend on their cuppa for bowel movements. A new study now says at least one to three cups of caffeine could lower the risk of cognitive decline. In a long-term, observational study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which included more than 1,32,000 healthy adults, caffeinated coffee or tea was associated with lowering dementia risk, slowing cognitive decline, and preserving cognitive function. “We are not recommending that people who don’t drink coffee start drinking,” said

Dr Yu Zhang, lead study author and research trainee at Mass General Brigham in Boston. “We are just seeing that for people who already drink coffee, the results are really reassuring.” However, you may not get the same results if you drink decaffeinated coffee, Dr Yu’s team noted. Apart from Mass General Brigham, scientists at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard also studied the health and caffeine habits of health professionals from two research datasets, which collectively spanned 1980 to 2023. The first involved more than 86,000 women, whose average age was 46, from the Nurses’ Health Study. The second involved more than 45,000 men, whose average age was 54, from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, a complementary project focused on men’s health.

How was the study conducted?

Participants were made to complete a questionnaire that helped measure intake of regular coffee, decaf coffee, and tea for at least four years. After a median follow-up period of nearly 37 years, more than 11,000 people had been diagnosed with dementia. It was deduced that those who consumed more caffeinated coffee or tea were less likely to develop dementia, along with a stronger association among those 75 years and younger. Those who drank the most caffeinated coffee had at least 18 per cent lower risk compared with those who drank the least. Among tea drinkers, people who consumed the most had a 14 per cent lower risk than those who consumed the least. According to scientists, the optimal number of cups, which comes to around an 8-ounce serving, of each beverage was optimal.

Experts say the relation between caffeinated coffee and tea and dementia risk holds true for those who are at an extremely high risk of developing the condition, which leads to complete memory loss, including those with the APOE4 gene, a significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. However, Dr Zhang says dementia, being a complex condition, cannot be totally prevented just by dietary intervention. “Drinking coffee alone does not provide the magical effect that can prevent people from getting dementia,” he said.Also read: Bad Bunny Workout Secrets at 31: How the Superstar Trains for Music, Wrestling & Film Success

Coffee’s cognitive benefits make it a dementia warrior

Across the globe, more than 57 million people were living with dementia in 2021, according to the World Health Organization. Alzheimer's disease disproportionately affects women, and Alzheimer’s disease is among the most common forms of illness. Doctors say their patients, especially the high-risk ones, do ask them what they can do to decrease their odds of developing dementia, including whether coffee would be helpful or can harm them. Many previous studies on coffee, tea, and dementia risk have been inconclusive. However, research points to the actions of its bioactive compounds - primarily caffeine and polyphenols, which are instrumental in reducing inflammation and protecting your brain cells. Various mechanisms say caffeine is structurally similar to adenosine, a natural brain chemical that causes drowsiness and modulates brain function. Caffeine acts as an antagonist, blocking certain adenosine receptors (especially A2ARs). This blockade leads to increased alertness and improved cognitive performance in the short term, and in animal models, has been shown to potentially disrupt the accumulation of the toxic beta-amyloid protein, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.