Summary Preventing dementia before symptoms begin is especially important because current treatments remain limited and usually provide only modest improvements once the disease develops.
(Web Desk) - A large, decades-long study of more than 130,000 participants suggests that moderate consumption of caffeinated coffee or tea may support long-term cognitive health.
Researchers from Mass General Brigham, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard conducted a large prospective cohort study involving 131,821 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS). The analysis found that moderate intake of caffeinated coffee (2-3 cups a day) or tea (1-2 cups a day) was linked to a lower risk of dementia, slower cognitive decline, and better preservation of cognitive abilities. The findings were published in JAMA.
“When searching for possible dementia prevention tools, we thought something as prevalent as coffee may be a promising dietary intervention—and our unique access to high quality data through studies that has been going on for more than 40 years allowed us to follow through on that idea,” said senior author Daniel Wang, MD, ScD, associate scientist with the Channing Division of Network Medicine in the Mass General Brigham Department of Medicine and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Wang is also an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard Chan School and an associate member at the Broad Institute.
“While our results are encouraging, it’s important to remember that the effect size is small and there are lots of important ways to protect cognitive function as we age. Our study suggests that caffeinated coffee or tea consumption can be one piece of that puzzle.”
Preventing dementia before symptoms begin is especially important because current treatments remain limited and usually provide only modest improvements once the disease develops. For this reason, scientists are increasingly examining how everyday lifestyle choices, including diet, may influence the risk of developing dementia.
Coffee and tea contain several biologically active compounds, including caffeine and polyphenols. These substances may help protect the brain by reducing inflammation and limiting cellular damage, both of which are associated with cognitive decline.
