You don’t have to cut the morning caffeine drip to protect your brain against dementia in the future. New research indicates that daily consumption of coffee or tea – and, importantly, the caffeinated kind – is associated with better long-term cognitive health.
The study, published Monday in JAMA, found that individuals who enjoyed two to three cups of coffee daily, or one to two cups of tea, experienced the most significant benefits. Coffee drinkers in midlife demonstrated approximately an 18% lower chance of developing dementia later in life, while tea drinkers showed a 14% reduction in risk, according to Dr. Daniel Wang, assistant professor in the department of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Medical School in Boston, the study’s senior author.
Notably, the research team observed these protective effects only with caffeinated beverages; decaffeinated options did not show the same association. The data was drawn from over 130,000 participants enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
This finding aligns with other research suggesting a link between caffeinated coffee and healthier aging, as well as a reduced risk of conditions like heart disease. As Dr. David Kao, Jacqueline Marie Schauble Leaffer Endowed Chair in Women’s Heart Disease and associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical School, who was not involved in the current study, emphasizes, the evidence suggests there’s no need to eliminate caffeine to maintain good health.
However, it’s crucial to understand the nature of this research. The study was observational, meaning it identified an association between coffee/tea consumption and dementia risk, but cannot definitively prove that one causes the other. Other factors could be at play.
Experts suggest that the observed benefits might not be solely attributable to caffeine. There could be other compounds within coffee and tea that contribute to cognitive health, which are lost during the decaffeination process. Alternatively, coffee and tea drinkers may simply have healthier lifestyles overall – better diets, more regular exercise, or engaging in mentally stimulating activities like crossword puzzles – which independently contribute to brain health.
While these findings are encouraging, Dr. Kao cautions against drastically altering caffeine intake based solely on this research. “More is not necessarily better,” he stated. Dr. Sara Mahdavi, adjunct professor in the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto, echoed this sentiment, adding, “No one should start drinking coffee solely for brain protection.”
Individuals with pre-existing conditions such as anxiety, insomnia, or heart rhythm abnormalities, or those who have experienced adverse reactions to caffeine, should exercise particular caution.
Why coffee and tea?
The potential benefits of coffee and tea extend beyond caffeine. Coffee, for example, contains hundreds of bioactive compounds that influence inflammation, glucose metabolism, vascular function, and oxidative stress, explains Dr. Mahdavi.
Coffee’s ability to reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and combat oxidative stress – a process that can damage cells and tissues – may contribute to overall healthy aging, according to Dr. Kao. The ritual of enjoying a morning cup may also encourage other positive behaviors, such as prioritizing nutrition and physical activity.
However, Dr. Mahdavi stresses that coffee is not a substitute for well-established brain-healthy behaviors. “Regular physical and frequent activity, good sleep hygiene, not smoking, managing blood pressure and diabetes, staying socially engaged, and maintaining overall diet quality which should be mainly made up of whole plant-based foods … remain far more influential than any single beverage,” she said.
The findings from a separate study utilizing data from the UK Biobank suggest a J-shaped association between coffee consumption and dementia risk in hypertensive individuals, with 0.5–1 cup per day showing the lowest risk. A U-shaped relationship was observed between daily caffeine consumption and the risk of all-cause and vascular dementia in this population. This research highlights that the relationship between coffee/tea and dementia may be nuanced and influenced by individual health factors, such as blood pressure.
the current body of evidence suggests that moderate consumption of caffeinated coffee or tea can be part of a brain-healthy lifestyle, but it should not be viewed as a standalone preventative measure. A holistic approach encompassing a balanced diet, regular exercise, and cognitive engagement remains paramount for maintaining long-term cognitive well-being.
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