A study found that drinking two types of hot drinks could reduce your risk of dementia (Image: Getty)
A daily cuppa could reduce the risk of a devastating condition by as much as 18%, a new study has found. Research suggested that regularly drinking caffeinated coffee or tea reduced the chances of developing dementia.
More specifically, this effect was found to be the case when a person drank one to two cups of tea or two to three cups of coffee. However, decaf coffee showed no sign of protecting against dementia.
As part of the study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers analysed data on more than 130,000 Americans who were tracked for up to 43 years. During that time there were 11,033 recorded cases of dementia.
Participants reported their coffee and tea consumption every few years, allowing researchers to track decades-long drinking patterns. It was found that coffee drinkers weren’t just less likely to be diagnosed with dementia, they also reported fewer memory problems and scored slightly better on cognitive tests.
Tea drinkers saw similar benefits, though they needed to consume less to get there. While coffee drinkers needed two to three cups daily for maximum benefit, tea drinkers received similar protection from just one to two cups.
This effect was found to be the case when a person drank one to two cups of tea (Image: Getty)
According to Study Finds, Regular caffeine consumers had an 18% lower dementia risk over four decades, and the benefits held up regardless of genetic risk factors like the APOE4 gene. Study authors wrote: “The most pronounced associated differences were observed with intake of approximately two to three cups per day of caffeinated coffee or one to two cups per day of tea.
“Greater consumption of caffeinated coffee and tea was associated with lower risk of dementia and modestly better cognitive function, with the most pronounced association at moderate intake levels.”
Why does caffeine have this effect?
Both drinks are rich in caffeine and antioxidants that combat brain inflammation, but tea offers some extra compounds. Green and black teas are packed with catechins (plant chemicals that may safeguard brain cells) and an amino acid known as L-theanine, which induces relaxation without causing drowsiness.
The study didn’t differentiate between green and black tea, leaving it unclear if one is superior to the other. Researchers have pinpointed several ways in which caffeine could guard against dementia, although most of this evidence comes from animal studies.
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Caffeine blocks certain receptors in the brain that typically slow down cell activity. By slightly releasing these brakes, caffeine might help prevent the accumulation of toxic proteins known as beta-amyloid, a characteristic feature of Alzheimer’s disease.
Caffeine also seems to diminish inflammation in the brain. Chronic inflammation can harm brain cells over time and speed up cognitive decline.
Moreover, regular caffeine intake enhances the body’s sugar processing, reducing the risk of diabetes, a significant risk factor for dementia. Coffee and tea offer more than just caffeine. Both are loaded with antioxidants that shield cells from damage and may enhance blood flow to the brain.
These compounds work in tandem, though the study emphasises that caffeine does most of the work. However, genetics didn’t alter the narrative. Individuals with the APOE4 gene variant (which significantly heightens Alzheimer’s risk) reaped the benefits of caffeine just as much as those without this genetic predisposition.
The protection seemed to operate independently of inherited risk factors.
Study limitations
There were limitations to the study, though. The study depended on participants’ own accounts of their dietary habits through questionnaires, which failed to document particular varieties of tea or methods of coffee brewing that might affect the levels of bioactive compounds.
Dementia cases were identified through mortality records and participants’ reports of doctors’ diagnoses instead of thorough neurological assessments, which could have resulted in overlooked cases or incorrect classifications.
The observational nature of the study means it cannot prove a causal link between coffee intake and cognitive health. The participant pool was predominantly composed of white healthcare professionals, which could restrict the applicability of findings to different racial or varying socioeconomic groups.
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