Coffee can cut Alzheimer’s risk

Drinking coffee regularly can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, according to a study.

Drinking coffee regularly can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, according to a study.

Published Mar 29, 2012

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London - Drinking coffee regularly can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, according to a study.

Scientists who tracked elderly patients over a four-year period found those with the highest levels of caffeine in their bloodstream at the start of the study were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment, regarded as an early sign of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Those who remained healthy had twice as much caffeine circulating in their systems as those who progressed to the early stages of dementia, said researchers at the University of South Florida.

The findings, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, support previous studies which showed drinking three cups of coffee a day can significantly reduce the risk of the incurable illness.

Researchers think caffeine may work by triggering a chain reaction in the brain that prevents the damage done by Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s affects an estimated 750,000 people in the UK.

In a report on their findings, the researchers said: “This case-control study provides the first direct evidence that caffeine/coffee intake is associated with a reduced risk, or delayed onset, of dementia.” - Daily Mail

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