Coffee – Potential Benefits of Drinking Coffee
According to the National Coffee Association in the United States, 70% of baby boomers drink coffee every day, the highest rate of any generation. Given that this generation is in their senior years (ages 60–80), healthcare has placed a strong focus on lifestyle factors related to healthy aging, brain health, and conditions prevalent in the aging population, such as dementia. As a result, there have been many studies about the link between coffee and dementia, many of which have conflicting results. However, there are clear scientific indicators of how coffee and caffeine intake affect cognitive functioning.
One systematic review published in 2019 found that caffeine generally benefits most aspects of cognition, mainly when used to offset sleep deprivation. These aspects include response time, accuracy, attention, executive functions, information processing, and memory.
Drinking coffee and tea can influence individuals experiencing cognitive decline in various ways, both beneficial and adverse. These include use as a stimulant of the central nervous system; coffee impacts focus for many people. Because struggles with concentration can sometimes be an early symptom of vascular dementia, coffee and tea consumption may offer temporary support in focusing on daily tasks.
Anxiety is strongly tied to cognition and can negatively affect a patient’s memory, concentration, and overall mood. While coffee is associated with improved mood, some people also report that it increases their anxiety, particularly if they’re not regular coffee drinkers (Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee). However, in a study in 2023 that measured the connection between coffee consumption and anxiety and depression, it found that people who had the lowest risk for both depression and anxiety drank about 2–3 cups of coffee per day. Coffee may have protective effects against the development of depression. One systematic review in 2023 found a 4% reduction in the risk of depression with increased coffee intake. Another study back in 2015 found a reduced risk of depression by 8% for each additional cup consumed daily.
Memory
A morning cup of coffee was reported to improve memory performance in young adults, particularly by counteracting the cognitive slump at non-optimal times of day. A related study evaluated caffeine intake for older adults at their non-optimal time of day and found that coffee completely reversed memory decline experienced in the afternoon.
With nearly 60 million people globally living with dementia and more than 10 million new cases of dementia emerging each year, there are many new studies about dementia prevention and treatment, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International but many current and previous studies have mixed conclusions about whether coffee increases or decreases the risk of dementia.
Coffee Drinking and Dementia Prevention
In 2010, a paper from the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study concluded that coffee drinking may be associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. While the evidence was somewhat inconsistent between studies, three out of five found that coffee intake lowered the risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of cognitive decline. These positive results were also evident when coffee and tea were combined but were less conclusive when it came to tea intake alone.
One 2020 systematic review on caffeine and dementia examined 61 studies conducted between 1990 and 2020; 28% found positive outcomes across the board, and 53% showed positive results depending on factors such as caffeine source, amount, and participant demographics. Studies with female participants, moderate consumption of 100-400 milligrams, and a source of either coffee or green tea tended to find positive results. In the studies that focused specifically on people with cognitive impairment, 73% found that caffeine intake improved cognitive function, suggesting that coffee could help with symptoms of dementia progression.
One systematic review published in 2019 found that caffeine generally benefits most aspects of cognition, especially when used to offset sleep deprivation. These aspects include response time, accuracy, attention, executive functions, information processing, and memory.
However, drinking coffee and tea can influence individuals experiencing cognitive decline in various ways, both beneficial and adverse. These include use as a stimulant of the central nervous system; coffee impacts focus for many people. Because struggles with concentration are often an early symptom of vascular dementia (NHS), coffee and tea consumption may offer temporary support in focusing on daily tasks.
Research from 2012 showed that older adults with higher caffeine levels—equal to three cups of coffee—were less likely to progress from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, compared with those who consumed little or no caffeine. These findings came from a 2012 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, where researchers in Florida tested the blood levels of caffeine in older adults with mild cognitive impairments, which can be a precursor to severe dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. When the researchers re-evaluated the subjects two to four years later, those whose blood levels contained caffeine amounts equivalent to about three cups of coffee were far less likely to have progressed to full-blown dementia than those who had consumed little or no caffeine.
In another Finnish study, researchers found that drinking three to five cups of coffee daily at midlife was associated with a 65 percent decreased risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia in later life. Interestingly, the study authors also measured the effect of tea drinking on cognitive decline but found no association.
There are several theories about how coffee may help prevent or protect against cognitive decline. One working theory: caffeine prevents the buildup of beta-amyloid plaque that may contribute to the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s. Researchers also theorise that because coffee drinking may be associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, a risk factor for dementia, it also lowers the risk of developing dementia.
Research suggests that coffee consumption may improve memory performance and help counteract cognitive decline, especially at non-optimal times of day for both young and older adults. While studies on the relationship between coffee and dementia have produced mixed results, many indicate a potential protective effect, particularly with moderate coffee or green tea intake. Systematic reviews have found improvements in cognitive function and reduced progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia among those with higher caffeine levels. Theories propose that caffeine may prevent harmful plaque buildup in the brain and lower dementia risk by reducing the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, a known risk factor.
Overall, moderate coffee drinking—two to three cups per day—appears to offer cognitive benefits, but the effects may vary depending on individual factors and the specific source of caffeine. In terms of daily consumption, moderation is the key!