HERE’S SOME GOOD NEWS FOR COFFEE DRINKERS. According to a study released on Thursday, middle-aged people who drink from 3 to 5 cups of coffee daily have a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in their later years.
A team of Swedish and Finnish researchers began the project twenty years ago when they began closely following 1,400 people in Finland. In 1998 their memory functions were tested when all the subjects were 65 to 79 years old. The test group was examined again last year and it was found that the coffee drinkers lowered their risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s by 60 to 65 per cent.
The lead researcher on the project, Miia Kivipelto said it remained unclear exactly how moderate coffee drinking helped delay or avoid the onset of dementia, but pointed out that coffee contains strong antioxidants, which are known to counter Alzheimer’s.
Some studies have also shown that coffee helps protects the nerve system, which can also protect against dementia, she said, pointing out that yet other studies show that coffee protects against diabetes, which in turn is known to be linked to Alzheimer’s.
“Going forward, researchers should try to nail down exactly what the protective elements in coffee consist in,” Kivipelto said.
It was also emphasized that moderate coffee use is key because it has been shown that heavy coffee consumption can lead to hallucinations.
The Swedish online newspaper The Local has the full STORY.
