Too much coffee may increase the risk of dementia.
In the journals
While coffee can provide a much-needed mental boost, new research says that you should limit yourself to five or six cups per day; beyond that amount may be detrimental to your brain. The researchers studied over 400,000 adults who consumed coffee on a daily basis (either caffeinated or decaffeinated). Daily consumption was classified into six categories ranging from one to two cups to more than six cups. Around 18,000 individuals had their brain volume evaluated using MRI. The research discovered that, when compared to moderate coffee drinkers (one to two daily cups), heavy coffee drinkers (more than six daily cups) had lower overall brain volume, particularly in the hippocampus, the region responsible for short- and long-term memory.
Additionally, heavy drinkers had a 53% increased probability of being diagnosed with dementia compared to light drinkers. The risk was similar whether individuals consumed caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.
It is uncertain how coffee may have this effect on the brain. The researchers speculated that high levels of cafestol (a chemical found in coffee that has been shown to raise cholesterol) could be a factor.
The findings do not suggest that coffee drinkers should forego their daily cup of joe, but they do urge that they be cautious of their refill frequency. Nutritional Neuroscience published the findings online on June 24, 2021.
This research is still ongoing.
