Drinking too much coffee may hasten the cognitive decline that many people experience as they age, but tea may help prevent it, research suggests.
Researchers looked at data from thousands of Britons and found that people who drank three or more cups of coffee a day were more likely to suffer problems with memory, reasoning and decision-making skills a few years later.
People who don’t drink coffee, or drink fewer than three cups a day, have been found to experience a slower decline in cognitive function.
Several previous studies have suggested that caffeine has many health benefits, including reducing the risk of stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.
But researchers at Murdoch University in Perth claim their findings suggest there is such thing as too much coffee.
Drinking too much coffee may hasten the cognitive decline that many people experience in old age, but tea may help prevent it, research suggests.
After looking at data from thousands of Brits, researchers found that people who drink three or more cups of coffee a day are more likely to have problems with memory, reasoning and decision-making skills a few years later.
Some suggest that this effect may be due to sleep deprivation caused by excessive caffeine intake.
The study, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, involved mentally healthy adults aged 60 and over who recorded their tea and coffee consumption and then mapped the decline in mental function over the next 10 years.
More than half of respondents said they drink one to three cups of coffee a day, a quarter don’t drink any at all, and just 18% drink four or more cups.
In terms of daily tea consumption, only 15% said they did not drink tea at all, 38% said they drank one to three cups, and 47% said they drank four or more cups.
People who drank three or more cups of coffee a day had higher rates of cognitive decline, but this doesn’t mean they developed dementia, but it just means they were more likely to have trouble thinking, learning and remembering things.
