Scientists tracked coffee drinkers for dementia risk over 43 years. Here's what they found

"Of the participants, 11,033 developed dementia over the course of the study. Those who consumed more caffeinated coffee or caffeinated tea had an 18% lower risk of developing dementia when compared with those who did not."

"The same participants who consumed caffeinated coffee or tea performed better on questionnaire-based cognitive assessments, and experienced lower rates of cognitive decline: 7.8% compared to 9.5% of the non-coffee drinkers. The results did not hold true for participants who drank decaffeinated coffee or tea."

"The teams studied 131,821 individuals from two cohorts: one group of men and one group of women in the U.S., all of whom did not have diseases like dementia, cancer, or Parkinson's at the start of the study. The researchers followed up with the participants to track their coffee and tea drinking habits every two to four years, with some follow-ups even after 43 years, from the early 1980s to 2023."

A long-term study by researchers at Mass General Brigham and Harvard-MIT tracked 131,821 participants over 43 years to examine coffee and tea consumption's effects on dementia risk. Among participants, 11,033 developed dementia during the study period. Those consuming caffeinated coffee or tea showed an 18% lower dementia risk and better cognitive performance on assessments, with cognitive decline rates of 7.8% versus 9.5% for non-drinkers. Decaffeinated beverages showed no protective effects. The protective benefits applied even to individuals genetically predisposed to dementia, clarifying the previously unclear relationship between caffeine consumption and brain health outcomes.

Read at Fast Company