Research shows a positive effect of coffee to Alzheimer’s decline
No doubt coffee is a widely popular drink in the world, and a cup of joe is indispensable for most early birds as it makes us more alert and active thanks to the caffeine directly stimulating the spinal cord and cerebral cortex, which keeps you awake. Also speaking of caffeine, perhaps some of you wonder if it makes you addictively consume coffee, giving detrimental effects to your brain. The good news is, many up-to-date studies have suggested coffee contains plenty of substances to reduce dementia diseases, specifically Alzheimer’s, as drinkers maintain a consistent amount daily.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s is one of the brain diseases that affect the patient’s thinking, behavior, and memory. Additionally, there is also a negative impact on their language abilities as abnormal proteins are produced, causing plaques and accumulations around and inside the cells interfering with communication. The brain cells that store and process information begin to weaken and die.
The disease is relatively common in the elderly; however, nowadays Alzheimer’s in young people is no longer so rare. Experts suppose no drug to treat this cognitive impairment, therefore, finding preventive measures through food is a significant contribution, and one of the best choices here is coffee.
A cup of coffee a day keeps Alzheimer away
Researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) have spent more than 10 years studying the effect of coffee drinking on the rate of cognitive decline. They hypothesized that consuming more of this drink could be an easy way to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease when they found an association between coffee consumption and a slower accumulation of amyloid proteins in the brain – a key factor in the disease’s development.
Meanwhile, research by Florida scientists (USA) conducted on mice shows that caffeine inhibits the production of specific cells that appear in people with Alzheimer’s disease. This case also agrees with a few previous studies on certain effects of caffeine in preventing this disease in people who have a habit of drinking coffee at a young age.
Other benefits of coffee
Aside from lowering Alzheimer’s disease, coffee also brings numerous advantages to our bodies.
The caffeine in coffee also stimulates and triggers contractions in the intestines, thereby promoting excretion. If you feel a bit constipated, have yourself a cup of joe!
According to Health News, for regular coffee drinkers, their bodies can fight liver diseases and cancer. A study published in May 2017 found that people who drank one cup of coffee a day had a 20 percent lower risk of liver cancer, and two cups a day reduced it by 35 percent. This natural antioxidant also helps reduce the risk of oral cancer by 50% by protecting against tumors in the mouth.
Does coffee bring joy and refreshment? Health News also presented a study of Harvard University in 2011 showing that women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee a day had a 20% lower risk of depression. A separate study found that 200,000 people who have the same habit had a 53% lower risk of suicide.
A caffeine fix before workouts prolongs exercise time. This superfood helps block chemicals that cause muscles to fatigue during intense physical activity. Since it makes workouts last longer, it is sure to get rid of unwanted fat deposits. Still, there’s a more scientific reason: coffee contains chlorogenic acid, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates and sugars, as well as speeds up metabolism.
The right consumption makes the best of coffee
While drinking coffee is good for your health, that doesn’t mean having more of it is better. Consuming too much coffee can cause anxiety, tremors, heart palpitations, and sleep problems. You shouldn’t have more than 300 mg of caffeine a day. If 1 cup of coffee contains about 60 to 125 mg of caffeine, the maximum amount to use per day is 3–4 cups.
For those who are starting this habit, it’s good to have a cup of coffee in the morning to receive alertness, better mental activity, and cardiovascular support. In addition, according to medical experts, to ensure the best coffee effects, you should use pure coffee and drink it around 10 am and 3 pm when the body begins to feel tired.
Scientists also recommend that people with high blood pressure and pregnant women should limit their daily caffeine intake.
