Your morning cuppa is good for the brain

Your morning cuppa—whether it’s tea or coffee—could be protecting your brain.

Drinking two to three cups of coffee or tea every day reduces the risk of dementia and cognitive decline by around 18 percent—and the protective effect even extends to people who are genetically predisposed to develop the condition.

The good effects are gradual.  A research team from Mass General Brigham tracked nearly 132,000 people for more than 40 years to see the protective powers of coffee and tea.

Coffee and tea contain compounds such as polyphenols and caffeine, which are thought to support brain health by reducing inflammation and limiting cellular damage, which have been linked to cognitive decline.

During the 40 years of the study, more than 11,000 participants developed dementia, but those who drank higher amounts of caffeinated coffee had an 18 percent lower risk of dementia compared with those who rarely or never drank it.  The coffee-drinkers also had slightly lower rates of cognitive decline and performed better in cognitive tests.  Similar patterns were seen among tea drinkers.

The sweet spot seems to be two to three cups of caffeinated coffee or one to two cups of tea every day.  Drinking more didn’t cause any harm, but it didn’t increase the protective effect, either.

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