Coffee and Tea Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

If you’re a fan of coffee or tea, there’s some encouraging news for you. A recent long-term study looking at diet and cognitive health indicates that enjoying moderate amounts of these caffeinated beverages daily could significantly reduce your risk of dementia.

This study, which appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association last month, assessed over 131,000 participants in the U.S. who were free of cancer, Parkinson’s disease, or dementia at the outset.

It followed more than 86,000 women from the Nurses’ Health Study starting in 1980, and about 45,000 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study that began in 1983. The average age when women entered the study was 46, while men joined at an average age of 54.

To understand the connection between coffee and tea consumption and cognitive health, researchers collected food frequency questionnaires from participants every two to four years.

The findings indicated that there were more than 11,000 reported cases of dementia among those studied. Importantly, a higher intake of caffeinated coffee was linked to a lower risk of dementia and a reduced occurrence of subjective cognitive decline. Additionally, those consuming more coffee tended to perform better in cognitive tests, particularly among the women in the Nurses’ Health Study. The positive outcomes were also seen with higher tea consumption.

When it comes to the amounts that seemed most beneficial, the study identified that participants drinking around 2 to 3 cups of caffeinated coffee daily or 1 to 2 cups of tea showed the most notable association with reduced dementia risk and cognitive decline.

Interestingly, those in the highest coffee consumption group had an 18% lower risk of developing dementia compared to the lowest group. The same trend was observed for tea drinkers, as reported by Reuters.

It’s worth noting, however, that decaffeinated coffee didn’t show any association with lower dementia risk or improved cognitive performance.

Yu Zhang, from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and one of the study’s leads, pointed out that while the research is significant, it doesn’t establish that caffeine is the direct cause of reduced dementia risk.

“Our findings cannot prove causality,” Zhang explained. “But this is likely the best evidence to date in looking at coffee and tea intake in relation to cognitive health, aligning with plausible biological mechanisms.”

He did caution against viewing coffee or tea as a “magic shield” against dementia. Maintaining a holistic healthy lifestyle—regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and sufficient sleep—plays a crucial role in cognitive well-being.

Dr. Kellyann Niotis, a preventive neurologist who wasn’t part of the study, emphasized the complexities in attributing any cognitive benefits solely to coffee or tea, as they contain various compounds that may interact.

“These other compounds might be working together with caffeine, contributing to any benefits,” she suggested.

Prior research has highlighted the importance of both physical and mental activities in lowering dementia risk, but diet is equally important. For instance, a separate study published last year linked consumption of processed red meat to a higher chance of dementia.

Dr. Andy Liu, an associate professor of neurology at Duke University, has also underscored the value of a healthy diet paired with physical exercise for cognitive health, often recommending the Mediterranean diet, especially for patients dealing with Alzheimer’s or other cognitive issues.

Ultimately, if you notice any changes in your cognitive health, Liu advises seeing a doctor sooner rather than later. Regular monitoring is a safer approach and allows for timely interventions if necessary.