Coffee may lower dementia risk, study finds

A pooled analysis of about 130,000 participants found that higher intake of caffeinated coffee (about two to three cups daily) or caffeinated tea (about one to two cups daily) was associated with a modestly lower risk of dementia; decaffeinated drinks did not show the same link.

Researchers in Cambridge, Massachusetts published a pooled analysis of long-term studies examining coffee, caffeinated tea and dementia risk. The analysis combined data from cohorts that followed participants for decades and included roughly 130,000 people. Investigators reported that people with the highest intake of caffeinated coffee had an 18% lower risk of dementia than those who drank little or no caffeine, and caffeinated tea showed similar associations while decaf did not. Study authors noted the effect size is small and that many other health and genetic factors influence dementia risk. Key findings: - The pooled dataset covered about 130,000 participants drawn from long-term cohorts. - Roughly 8% of participants in the full study developed dementia during follow-up. - People reporting the highest caffeinated coffee intake had an 18% lower reported risk of dementia compared with low- or non-consumers. - Caffeinated tea showed similar associations; decaffeinated coffee did not show the same link, leading authors to highlight caffeine as a likely factor. - The analysis found similar associations across different genetic risk profiles for dementia, and authors described the overall effect size as modest. Summary: The study reports a modest association between regular caffeinated coffee or tea intake and a lower risk of dementia, while decaffeinated drinks were not similarly associated. Undetermined at this time.