Scientists from the University of Lille ( France ) have found that increased coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Scientists studied data on the health and diet of patients over 70 years old with mild cognitive impairment or early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Participants were divided into two groups depending on their caffeine consumption. It turned out that people who consumed less caffeine had a significantly increased risk of memory impairment and other cognitive functions. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease in this group was 2.5 times higher compared to those who consumed more caffeine. The study results were published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia (A&D).
Additionally, the scientists analyzed the composition of the participants’ cerebrospinal fluid. It was found that people who consumed little caffeine had a decrease in the concentration of beta-amyloid proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid. The researchers explained that this could serve as a biological marker of neurodegeneration, which is typical of Alzheimer’s disease. The fewer toxic proteins the cerebrospinal fluid “removes,” the more they remain in the brain.
