Coffee and Dementia Risk
Is drinking coffee one the the risk factors to develop dementia ? Let’s dig into why research so far has been inconclusive – helping us understand exactly when and if more is better for reaping those cognitive benefits without any side effects!
Is drinking coffee one the the risk factors to develop dementia ? Coffee can be a great pick-me up! The caffeine in coffee is a central nervous system stimulant. With Americans coffee consumption averaging three cups of coffee per day, it's no wonder researchers are wondering how this much-loved beverage affects our brain health.
News articles on the topic often report conflicting results - one month stating that coffee consumption protects against cognitive decline and memory loss while a new study soon after hints at negative effects. So what can we make sense out of all these potential confounding factors?
Is there some perfect amount to be had from sipping your morning latte or afternoon espresso? Let’s dig into why research so far has been inconclusive – helping us understand exactly when and if more is better for reaping those cognitive benefits without any side effects!
Let's talk about Coffee and Brain Health
Coffee drinkers can rejoice! Recent studies have uncovered a potential relationship between your daily cup of Joe and brain health. Individuals that have a higher baseline coffee consumption of drinking more than six cup of coffee a day may increase the risk of dementia.
Researchers found consuming one to two cups could actually be beneficial in promoting cognitive function. It's important to keep in mind that unhealthy diets can also contribute factors towards cognitive performance. So make sure you're choosing a healthy food choices alongside your coffee intake for maximum results. Lifestyle choices and environment are risk factors that play a part in a dementia prevention program.
The Swedish Brain Foundation's 2018 research observational study suggested that drinking coffee may not lead to a higher risk of Alzheimer disease or dementia. However, further studies are needed as the limited existing data on this relationship was inconclusive. More prospective studies are required in order to gain deeper insight into how daily coffee intake might affect long-term brain health.
To keep our brains healthy, recent studies suggest limiting your coffee consumption. 400,000 regular drinkers were studied, Participants consumed caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee. These participants were divided into groups depending on their coffee consumption - from one cup to higher coffee intake of more than six cups per day.
What do the research studies reveal about dementia risk and coffee consumption?
Studies around coffee and tea drinking and the risk of alzheimer disease and other types of dementia can be small or limited in scope. To truly examine the potential health benefits of coffee consumption, a randomised controlled trial is necessary. In such trials, participants are separated into two groups — one with access to coffee, both caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee and another without — and then monitored over an extended period. Cognitive assessments, episodic recall memory and a baseline assessment of recognition memory should be completed on a regular basis. It's important to be able to reliably measure for any changes in their wellbeing and executive function.
This method promises greater clarity on the purported effects of this popular beverage than simply relying on anecdotal evidence or survey results. At the present time, there have not been any randomized, controlled trials.
So we only have observational studies to discuss, at this time. With that said, there is some evidence to suggest a link between drinking coffee or tea to dementia cases. A 2012 study from Florida tracked people with mild cognitive impairment over two to four years. This study discovered that those who did not develop any further symptoms of dementia had higher baseline coffee consumption and caffeine intake their blood than those who did deteriorate into full-blown Alzheimer Disease. Is it possible increasing coffee intake can prevent cognitive disorders?
I want to address mild cognitive impairment compared to dementia.
What is Mild Cognitive Impairment?
I want to take time and explain that Mild cognitive impairment or MCI, is a natural process of aging. Our brain functions slows our processing speed, retrieving information, and responding to an interaction in our 50's. Having MCI does not mean that you will develop Alzheimer's disease or other related dementia. However, there are times when MCI does advance into developing alzheimer's disease.
As we are discuss dementia risks remember, there are over 100 types of dementia. There is Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and Lewy Body dementia , to name just a few. All of these types of dementia have different risk factors that play a part in Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Coffee intake is one risk factor to consider for your dementia prevention plan.
UK researchers have discovered that drinking two to three cups per day can reduce your risk of stroke or dementia. This is great news for coffee and tea lovers. The extensive study from the PLOS Medicine journal monitored participants over a 10-14 year period, with firm conclusions: coffee and tea drinkers obtained reduced risk than non-drinkers. It looks like enjoying an extra cup may provide more benefits than just waking you up - so make sure you savor every sip today to enhance your cognitive performance and enhance your recognition memory. Caffeine intake may have a potential mechanism for preventing mild cognitive impairment to decrease the risk of alzheimer's disease or other cognitive disorder from developing.
Although future investigation needs conducted on this topic, it could prove beneficial for individuals at risk of developing cognitive decline if they increased their intake - cautiously!
So how many cups of coffee is too much?
If you're one to load up on your caffeine, it may be time for a rethink. Researchers from the University of South Australia conducted a prospective cohort study which revealed that higher coffee consumption of drinking more than six cups of coffee per day can have a negative impact on brain health - with increased risks of dementia and stroke as well. Increasing coffee intake cause high blood pressure and make you at a higher risk of developing vascular dementia .
Increased coffee consumption also reduces total brain volume observed in those who indulged too much! This is called brain volume atrophy. This impacts your brain function and may cause cognitive deficits. So keep tabs on how much java is flowing through your veins if you want to stay mentally healthy and sharp!
Higher baseline coffee consumption can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer disease or other types of dementia by 53%. This compared to those with moderate coffee consumption. The irony here is, that the risk factors were the same for those drinking caffeinated coffee or decaffeinated coffee. After 11 years of followup surveying those who had MRI brain scans, it turned out that higher coffee consumption, with more than 6 cups each day, actually experienced brain volume atrophy in the hippocampus area. This is the region of the brain which is responsible for memory functions. So consider cutting back if you've been overdoing it! Slower cognitive decline is associated with your daily intake of coffee.
What is cafestol, a compound found in coffee?
Scientists aren’t sure why this is so – one possible factor may be an ingredient found in many coffees called cafestol.
Coffee beans contain bioactive compounds, cafestol and chlorogenic acid. Surprisingly enough, these compounds has been linked to an increase in insulin sensitivity and antioxidant capacity.. This results in higher levels of LDL cholesterol (this is the bad cholesterol). This increase is due to cafestol' s ability to suppress receptor activity responsible for breaking down bad cholesterol! This is potentially concerning news because high LDL can lead to heart disease, Of course, it's much more important that we focus on our ratio between triglycerides and HDL instead.
Recent research indicates that previous studies have found a potentially harmful link between high blood cholesterol and select types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia. Scientists are still trying to understand the potential mechanism between these two conditions; however, it is known that higher levels in bile acids – which arise from breaking down cholesterol - could put an individual at greater risk for developing one of those dementias. The cafestol molecule in coffee may be interfering with levels of bile acids. Further investigation to explore this connection, scientists conducted a comprehensive study involving health records reviews. They looked at brain scans, analysis of autopsied tissue samples. These prospective studies were funded by various governmental organizations.
Lower blood levels of bile acids were linked to higher buildup of amyloid proteins, decreasing brain volume, resulting in brain volume atrophy This causes cognitive decline and more damage in the white matter regions of both men and women. Notably however, this phenomenon was much stronger in male participants than female ones.
I think these studies suggest that it’s all about finding a balance between what you drink and what’s good for your health.
Let's talk about EHT a fatty acid in coffee.
A team from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine have made a groundbreaking discovery that could help protect your brain against various neurological diseases! Their research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrated how EHT (Eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide) - a fatty acid substance found in coffee beans - is capable not only to potentially reduce Alzheimer disease risk but also has a protective factor for those with Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Caffeine was observed to amplify this protective effect even further. While more studies are needed before their findings can be translated into practice yet it looks like having some regular cups over your lifetime might just do you good!
Coffee may limit the brain from developing neurodegenerative disease
There are other protective compounds in coffee that can help prevent degenerative brain illnesses. Scientists believe these chemical compounds, known as phenylindanes, form during the brewing process and are more concentrated in darker roasts of coffee. To assess this idea further, researchers from Krembil Brain Institute recently conducted an experiment comparing three types of Starbucks instant coffee: decaffeinated dark roast, light roast, and dark roast - exposing their extracts to proteins linked with Alzheimer's disease. Their findings suggest that different levels of protection could exist between differently roasted coffees! Experts believe that darker roasts contain more protective compounds and may cause slower cognitive decline.
As a result of this, the researchers started to consider phenylindanes which are the compounds that form during the process of coffee roasting which breakdown acids and gives the beverage a bitter taste.
Espressos and dark roasts have a higher concentration of phenylindanes.
According to Donald Weaver, the lead author of the research, the heating process gives access to chemicals that are usually not present.
He continued to say that phenylindanes display potent antioxidant activity even though their interactions with tau and amyloid proteins have not been previously recorded.
Researchers are on the hunt to understand how coffee can be used as a preventative measure against Alzheimer's Disease. Their latest findings determined that phenylindane, which is found in darker roasted coffees specifically, has an incredible capacity for preventing protein clumping associated with the disease. The study results showed higher levels of inhibition when compared to any other compound being studied. Of course further research needs to take place around this discovery it would not yet be wise advise people about its effects just yet - but many have faith positive news will come soon!
I want to talk about the Honolulu Asia Aging Study
For decades, brain health researchers have looked at the potential link between coffee consumption and brain function. The results of the Honolulu Asia Aging Study on coffee consumption and dementia risk are particularly revealing. The study included over 8,000 adults aged 65 and older who did not have dementia when they enrolled in the study
The participants were followed for up to 20 years and provided detailed information on their coffee consumption.After 20 years, the researchers found that drinking two or more cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of dementia by around 10%. They also found that those who drank one cup of coffee per day had a slightly lower risk of dementia than those who did not drink coffee at all.The long term habitual nature of coffee drinking at least two cups a day may protect you from developing alzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders.
These findings suggest that regular coffee consumption can decrease risk of developing dementia and but more research is needed to confirm this link. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a brain-boosting beverage, it seems that drinking two or more cups of your favorite brew each day may help to keep your brain healthy.
Coffee has always been a popular beverage, and its possible correlations with dementia are gaining more attention. While some studies suggest that coffee may be able to stave off the development of AD, others don't see any benefit from it - or even believe coffee can worsen dementia. Clearly further research is needed before we have a definitive answer on the effects of this beloved brew!
