Ready... Set... Sip that delicious cup of coffee to start your day, the fuel of champions. Or is it? A new study suggests the amount of coffee you drink could impact your long-term brain health.
Researchers studied the impact of varying amounts of coffee and tea on fluid intelligence, a measure of abstract reasoning, pattern recognition, and logical thinking (as compared to crystallized intelligence, the ability to use knowledge, facts, and experiences) — or in game shows, Wheel of Fortune (fluid) compared to Jeapardy (crystallized).
"It's the old adage that too much of anything isn't good. It's all about balance, so moderate coffee consumption is okay but too much is probably not recommended." —Kelsey R. Sewell, PhD, Advent Health Research Institute, Orlando, told Medscape Medical News.
Yes, but: Let's not forget the benefits of coffee. Studies have shown that coffee protects against stroke, heart failure, specific cancers (prostate), and Parkinson's disease.
So, how could coffee have a downside?
Why it matters
Study results indicated high coffee consumption—over 3 cups daily—is linked to faster cognitive decline, particularly fluid intelligence.
Details
The researchers investigated the relationship between coffee and tea consumption and cognitive decline in over 8,000 adults over 60.
Researchers found—
- 1–3 cups daily may protect cognitive function.
- People who never drank tea showed greater cognitive decline compared to moderate and high tea drinkers, suggesting a cognitive benefit from tea consumption.
"We hope that coffee and tea intake could contribute to the development of a safe and inexpensive strategy for delaying the onset and reducing the incidence for Alzheimer's disease." —Kelsey R. Sewell, PhD
Reality check
The study—
- Relied on participants self-reporting their coffee and tea drinking.
- Didn't consider the types of coffee, brewing method (filter, press), or tea (green vs black).
- Did not look at midlife coffee or tea consumption.
- Adds to evidence that lifestyle choices, including dietary habits, can significantly impact brain health as we age.
