A new study published in January’s issue of The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has shown that drinking caffeine during mid life may reduce your risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The study was conducted at the University of Kuopio, Finland along with Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden and the National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
1409 participants were followed for an average of 21 years and their coffee consumption was put into three categories:
Low: 0-2 cups per day
Moderate: 3-5 cups per day
High: over 5 cups per day
The lowest risk (65% decreased) was found among moderate coffee drinkers (drinking 3-5 cups of coffee/day).
According to the AFP,
[The Participants] were first asked about their coffee-drinking habits when they were in their 50s and their memory functions were tested again in 1998, when they were between 65 and 79 years of age.
So what is it about coffee that protects our brains?
Miia Kivipelto, the lead researcher on the project, tells the AFP:
“it remained unclear exactly how moderate coffee drinking helped delay or avoid the onset of dementia, but pointed out that coffee contains strong antioxidants, which are known to counter Alzheimer’s.
Going forward, researchers should try to nail down exactly what the protective elements in coffee consist in.”
As always, check with your doctor before adding caffeine to your diet.
With that said, I’m off to Starbucks. Thoughts?
About the author, Erin Matlock
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7 Comments On This Post
Hey BC,
LOL I can just see the new “Super Deluxe Cure Everything Magic Coffee Genie Machine” making its debut in big box stores across the nation.
I recall reading about the powerful antioxidants in coffee a while back. Since I do consume a lot of coffee, this was nice to know. But the article specifically said you had to consume the coffee within 20 minutes of it being brewed or the antioxidant level was significantly diminished. This correlates to the comment above about inhaling the coffee vapors. I guess these single serving brewing machines in the office are actually a health benefit. Don’t let the manufacturer find out or the price will go up even more.
Very nice information. Thanks for this.
That is very interesting, although obviously there are other factors. My grandmother was a moderate coffee drinker and had Alzheimers in her late 70′s. Perhaps she would have come down with it sooner, but who knows. I worry about my father getting it as his mother and grandmother did, not to mention myself. I’m glad they are researching the disease and hopefully we’ll see a major breakthrough in the coming years. In the meantime, I think I’ll start drinking a little more coffee.
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I’m a coffee lover and this is great news, just another reason for me to justify 1 more cup!
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Hey Dan,
Good question. Miia Kivipelto, the lead researcher mentioned that more studies are needed to determine exactly how the caffeine works and pointed to the fact that it does indeed contain strong antioxidants that are known to combat Alzheimer’s.
I remember reading a study waaaay back in my 20s (I’m 35 now.) that showed a freshly brewed cup of coffee (hot and steamy) was packed full of antioxidants and you actually received the boost simply from inhaling the steam. I would guess that the more caffeine-> the stronger the coffee -> the more antioxidants. (Just my guess though.)
It would be interesting to see results from tests on decaf.
And yeah, personally I will not be drinking 5 cups. I’m a Grande person at Starbucks which gives me 16 fl oz. Considering the Venti only gives me 20 fl oz, it’s clear I need to start brewing at home if I want to hold on to my wallet.
So is caffine an antioxidant, or does coffee contain antioxidants seperate from the caffine? Anyone drinking five cups of coffee a day is risking an increase in blood pressure, so Alzheimer’s may not get you, but strokes will.