{"id":47580,"date":"2021-12-07T12:48:38","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T17:48:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=47580"},"modified":"2021-12-07T12:48:38","modified_gmt":"2021-12-07T17:48:38","slug":"coffee-and-alzheimers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/news\/coffee-and-alzheimers\/","title":{"rendered":"Could coffee decrease Alzheimer\u2019s risk?"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than <\/span>60% of Americans<\/span><\/a> drink coffee every day. It\u2019s a treasured morning ritual for many, and the caffeine boost many need to get their day started. The health benefits attributed to this brown elixir are many\u2014from helping you burn fat to increasing reaction time. Now, <\/span>researchers in Australia<\/span><\/a> think that coffee may have another major perk: slowing cognitive decline and even preventing Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Alzheimer\u2019s disease?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/span><\/a> is a degenerative condition that commonly affects memory, thinking, and behavior in adults age 60 and older. Though, it can have an early onset. It\u2019s the most <\/span>common cause of dementia<\/span><\/a>. Worldwide, <\/span>50 million people<\/span><\/a> live with Alzheimer\u2019s. Although it currently has no cure, there are medical and lifestyle treatments available to slow its progression. Researchers are constantly working to figure out the causes of and risk factors for this form of dementia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can coffee prevent Alzheimer\u2019s?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The new coffee and dementia study, published in <\/span>Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, <\/span><\/i>studied<\/span> 200 participants for 10 years who were aged 60 and older and did not have cognitive impairment at the start of the study. The researchers, led by <\/span>Samantha Gardener, Ph.D.<\/span><\/a>, found that <\/span>higher <\/span>coffee intake corresponded to a lower risk of cognitive impairment. Research studies, published since 2009, have shown that middle-aged people who drink coffee may have a significantly decreased risk of Alzheimer\u2019s in older age.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drinking coffee won\u2019t prevent Alzheimer\u2019s forever. However, it could be a habit to incorporate to decrease your risk. \u201cOur research is looking at modifiable risk factors that could delay the onset of the disease,\u201c Gardener told SingleCare. \u201cEven a five-year delay would have a massive social and economic benefit, and these dietary modifications are generally accessible to all as well as being less expensive than medications and with less side effects.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So, does drinking more coffee mean staving off the disease? \u201cOur estimates suggest that the average cup of coffee made at home is 240 g,\u201c Gardener says. \u201cIncreasing intake from one to two cups per day could provide up to 8% decrease in executive function decline over an 18-month period, and up to 5% decrease in cerebral A\u03b2-amyloid accumulation over the same time period.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, it is as simple as having an extra serving.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can coffee cure Alzheimer\u2019s?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If someone already has Alzheimer\u2019s, unfortunately, coffee isn\u2019t a cure. \u201cWe cannot confirm if coffee intake would be effective at reducing cognitive decline in those already showing cognitive issues,\u201d Gardener explains. However, \u201cthe neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer\u2019s disease begin to accumulate 15-20 years before symptoms manifest, implying that the optimal age for modifying potential risk factors could be middle-age or younger,\u201d she adds. Meaning, it\u2019s best to start drinking more coffee well before a diagnosis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additional research is needed<\/span><\/h3>\n

This study is important, but the issue is far from closed. \u201cOur research may be able to help in the future if our preliminary results are confirmed in further studies,\u201d Gardener says. Simply adding more coffee to everyone\u2019s diet is not a guarantee. \u201cFinding a maximum number of beneficial cups of coffee is a question for future research, which we were not able to identify in the current study,\u201d she says. \u201cUnfortunately, there will be a limit whereby more cups will not produce any further positive effects.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Other healthcare experts say the research does not definitively explain why or how coffee prevents cognitive decline. \u201cIt\u2019s not certain if the benefit in coffee consumption is derived from caffeine or other ingredients in coffee,\u201d says <\/span>Ziad Nasreddine<\/span><\/a>, MD, a neurologist and founder of the <\/span>MoCA<\/span><\/a>, which is a test<\/span> used for detecting cognitive impairment. \u201cThis study was not able to clarify that, probably because of the small sample size.\u201d Tea, caffeine pills, and other coffee-like substances were not studied and cannot be used in place of a cup of coffee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to keep in mind that correlation is not causation, says <\/span>Jordan Grumet<\/span><\/a>, MD, internal medicine physician in Chicago. This study has shown that there\u2019s a link between coffee and Alzheimer\u2019s, but doesn\u2019t prove that coffee causes delayed cognitive decline. \u201cOne could venture that having an extra cup of coffee a day will probably not hurt them, but it is far from proven to be helpful,\u201d says Dr. Grumet.\u00a0 To prove anything, future studies should be larger and longer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What other lifestyle changes can help?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Some people can\u2019t drink coffee because it interacts with other medications or health conditions, it makes them too jittery to perform necessary tasks, or they just don\u2019t like it. In those cases, there are other lifestyle changes that can help to reduce Alzheimer\u2019s risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Those include dietary modifications. \u201cFoods that are associated with less cognitive decline include nutrients found in the Mediterranean diet: fish, nuts, olive oil, fruits (berries), vegetables (green leafy),\u201d Dr. Nasreddine says. Additionally, people can try to \u201ccontrol chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, exercise,\u201d and \u201cpossibly mental stimulation\u201d might keep patients lucid longer, says Dr. Grumet. Check in with your healthcare provider and follow his or her medical advice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Other lifestyle changes to try include:<\/span><\/p>\n