Drinking This One Thing Can Lower Your Risk Of Alzheimer’s

Photo credit: bigstock

Photo credit: bigstock

In another study, people of age 65 and older who had high levels of caffeine in their blood showed the signs of Alzheimer’s disease two to four years later than those with lower caffeine levels. This study was described in detail in an article in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 124 people with mild cognitive impairment and of age between 65 and 88 took part in the study. Approximately 15 percent of those who have mild memory loss will go on to develop Alzheimer’s. In this study, those who had lower levels of caffeine in the blood developed Alzheimer’s sooner than those who had higher levels of caffeine. Coffee was the main — and sometimes only — source of caffeine among these subjects.

Not a single subject who had caffeine blood levels above 1,200 ng/ml later developed Alzheimer’s. This gives you a great excuse to drink more coffee! If you have a loved one who is experiencing mild memory problems, encourage them to drink more coffee each day. To keep those blood levels in the range of the subjects in this study, aim to drink an average of three eight ounce cups of coffee each morning during or after breakfast.

 

SEE ALSO: 5 Great Reasons to Avoid America’s Most Popular Coffee Shop

 

How coffee works to delay or prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease is not fully understood, but one researcher has a theory. Beta-amyloid, a protein found naturally in the human brain, begins to accumulate in those with Alzheimer’s. For some people, the body stops metabolizing this protein as we age, so it stores the extra protein in the brain. Caffeine inhibits the production of this protein, so your body can metabolize all of the available protein.

Coffee has other health benefits. It has been shown to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease, breast cancer, stroke, and diabetes.

So drink up! Head to your favorite coffee shop for seconds, and buy that extra big mug of coffee. Tell anyone who asks that you don’t want any leftovers clogging up your brain.

References:

Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Medicalnewstoday.com

Aje.oxfordjournals.org

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