By Jane Collingwood

May 4, 2009

Further evidence has come to light that drinking coffee may have a protective effect against dementia. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are common problems in the elderly population. Although research is improving our knowledge of the underlying biology of these disorders, we still have little understanding of the “modifiable” risk factors.

Caffeine has been suggested to have a protective effect against dementia. This new study comes from the University of Kuopio, Finland and the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. Dr. Miia Kivipelto and colleagues are involved in the ongoing Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study. The team looked at figures from 1,409 adults aged 65 to 79 who had been followed for an average of 21 years. Of these, 61 had been diagnosed with dementia. Daily coffee consumption was categorized into low (0-2 cups), moderate (3-5 cups) and high (more than five cups).

Results showed that moderate coffee drinkers had a 65 percent lower risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later in life than the other groups. Tea consumption was categorized into not drinking tea versus drinking tea. But tea drinking was relatively uncommon, and showed no links with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

WOW…