Who knew, but there is actually a place called the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee; it is devoted to studying the intersection of coffee and health, and in good news for coffee drinkers, a new report from the institute concludes that a moderate intake of coffee may protect against age-related cognitive decline.
Vero Beach neurologist S. James Shafer is aware of the study and says, “There’s lots of information out there about coffee and there is evidence that it has positive effects on some aspects of brain health.”
As part of its research, the ISIC looked at recent meta-analyses on the association between coffee consumption and cognitive decline (a meta-analysis is the statistical procedure for combining data from multiple studies). That data showed that the greatest protection came with an intake of 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day.
The study does not declare that caffeine was the reason coffee protected against cognitive decline, but that is the clear implication. Past research has shown that caffeine produces a number of beneficial responses in the central nervous system at both cellular and pharmacological levels. Coffee contains other compounds that may also play a role, along with caffeine, including antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.
With that said, it is not known for sure why drinking coffee seems to positively affect cognitive function. Vero’s Dr. Shafer says that there have been no well-controlled clinical studies that would determine whether coffee simply has an immediate, direct effect because of its stimulant properties, or if it provides some long-term protective benefits from a neurological perspective.
Age-related cognitive decline is not the same as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. All people, as they age, will experience some decrease in cognitive function, to widely-varying degrees. Symptoms can include forgetfulness, a reduced ability to maintain focus, and diminished capacity to problem-solve.
However, most research also supports coffee’s favorable effects against dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease; a 2016 study concluded that moderate coffee consumption can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by up to 27 percent.
Dr. Shafer says that he sees patients who think they may be getting Alzheimer’s or dementia, but it’s simply that they’ve developed a habit of not focusing when talking to other people. “What happens is they don’t really listen, they don’t stay in the moment,” he says. “Coffee helps, as it sharpens the ability to focus.”
The general consensus of the scientific community is that the daily ingestion of up to 400mg of caffeine daily (about 4 cups of 8 ounces each) does not have any negative implications for healthy adults. However, Dr. Shafer sounds a note of caution about this, saying: “Some people can be highly sensitive to caffeine. For these people, it can cause migraines, increase anxiety, or cause tremors.”
Even for those not especially sensitive to caffeine, it can disrupt sleep if consumed in high quantities, and this, ironically, can have a negative effect on brain health. Dr. Shafer says, “Sleep is the only chance our brains get to recover from the day and get ready for the next day.” As with so many other things, moderation and timing are key: A cup or two of coffee in the morning is not going to affect the sleep patterns of most people.
The origin of coffee is more lore than fact. A popular story is that an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi saw one of his goats chewing on a shrub’s red berries and was struck by how full of energy the animal was. Kaldi sampled the fruit and was consumed by a feeling of elation. He thought the berries were heaven-sent and took a bunch to the nearest monastery. The head monk disagreed, condemning the berries as the devil’s work and throwing them on the fire, giving birth to roasted coffee. The year was 850 A.D.
There are other dietary and lifestyle choices that are known to help reduce age-related cognitive decline, including:
- Sticking to a “Mediterranean” diet, with its emphasis on fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains.
- Regular exercise, as it can increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that influences brain function by preventing the death of brain cells.
- Cognitive stimulation and training (playing word games, playing bridge or chess, learning words and phrases from another language) can enhance cognitive reserve and provide protection against loss of brain function.
Dr. Shafer sees patients and conducts research at the Vero Beach Neurology and Research Institute, located at 1040 37th Place, Suite 201, in Vero Beach. The phone number is 772-492-7051.