Original paper Works also with tea ! Ideal dose according to the study: They seems to have adjusted the effect (i.e. reduce effect such as "rich people drink more coffee, but since they're rich...
Higher intake of tea showed similar associations with these cognitive outcomes, [...]
Ideal dose according to the study:
The most pronounced associated differences were observed with intake of approximately 2 to 3 cups per day of caffeinated coffee or 1 to 2 cups per day of tea.
They seems to have adjusted the effect (i.e. reduce effect such as "rich people drink more coffee, but since they're rich they have better access to medecine"), but it's not detailled in the abstract.
After adjusting for potential confounders and pooling results across cohorts, [ ...]
I was surprised at the distinction between 2-3 cups of coffee and 1-2 cups of tea, since tea typically has less caffeine than coffee. This might be the way of how they binned amount of coffee...
I was surprised at the distinction between 2-3 cups of coffee and 1-2 cups of tea, since tea typically has less caffeine than coffee. This might be the way of how they binned amount of coffee drinking, or I wonder if there are other plant compounds present in tea that promote a synergistic effect.
Disclosure: I like coffee and feel vindicated by these findings. This a pretty small effect size, but from the studies I've read it seems like caffeine is leaning more towards the bin of "good for...
Disclosure: I like coffee and feel vindicated by these findings. This a pretty small effect size, but from the studies I've read it seems like caffeine is leaning more towards the bin of "good for us".
Food for thought: let's say that there was a discovery that showed a given food or drink was unequivocally good for your health, especially as it pertains to healthy aging, but you hated the taste of it. Would you make any effort to try and "acquire" a taste, or just say screw it and take your chances with your current diet/approach?
Interesting question! For me it would come down to exactly how beneficial the food was, how much I disliked it, and what else I was already doing for my health. Personally, I've already found a...
Interesting question! For me it would come down to exactly how beneficial the food was, how much I disliked it, and what else I was already doing for my health. Personally, I've already found a decent balance of things I enjoy and things that are good for me. I wouldn't try too hard to incorporate something I didn't enjoy unless it had serious, undeniable benefits.
I spent a decade working with seniors and saw first hand how important a good diet is to aging well. Physical activity, socialization, and staying engaged mentally all play a part and can't be ignored. I'd sooner join a book club, walk laps of the local mall, or do a crossword puzzle every day than try to shoehorn another miracle food into my diet.
I'd probably try to work it in to tacobell-adjacent tacos. Or a smoothie of some sort. Or worst case as capsules of dehydrated food. And I think we have some foods like that: Basically any leafy...
I'd probably try to work it in to tacobell-adjacent tacos. Or a smoothie of some sort. Or worst case as capsules of dehydrated food.
And I think we have some foods like that: Basically any leafy green that isn't iceberg lettuce.
Thanks for sharing. I posted this to the ~science group and did my due diligence there, but the taggers (thank you for your work) moved it to this group. I guess I should've just searched across...
Thanks for sharing. I posted this to the ~science group and did my due diligence there, but the taggers (thank you for your work) moved it to this group. I guess I should've just searched across the site and not a specific group.
Ah no worries! And thank you for checking first, it's nbd to repost -- there's a different energy to the comments this time, and I think it's a different study, too.
Ah no worries! And thank you for checking first, it's nbd to repost -- there's a different energy to the comments this time, and I think it's a different study, too.
Your morning coffee or tea could be quietly supporting your brain health. A long-term study found that moderate consumption of caffeinated coffee or tea was linked to an 18% lower risk of dementia and better cognitive performance over time. The benefits appeared strongest at 2–3 cups of coffee or 1–2 cups of tea daily—and even held true for people genetically predisposed to dementia.
Looking at my pre-workout... probably not LOL. You've seen the way I talk about card games, I probably have some type of short term memory issue (not really but ya know)
Looking at my pre-workout... probably not LOL. You've seen the way I talk about card games, I probably have some type of short term memory issue (not really but ya know)
Yeah I had the exact same thought. I'm wondering if it might be a survey artifact or if there is some sort of synergistic effect with compounds in tea leaves.
Yeah I had the exact same thought. I'm wondering if it might be a survey artifact or if there is some sort of synergistic effect with compounds in tea leaves.
[...] Furthermore, tea components such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate and L-theanine may provide additional benefits by enhancing relaxation and neuroprotection.
My guess is this is largely caused by increased blood flow to the brain from caffeine. Would be interesting to see a comparison with people just just took caffeine pills.
My guess is this is largely caused by increased blood flow to the brain from caffeine. Would be interesting to see a comparison with people just just took caffeine pills.
Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, so if anything it reduces blood flow to the brain. I wonder if that reduced flow could somehow have a positive impact on this type of thing?
Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, so if anything it reduces blood flow to the brain. I wonder if that reduced flow could somehow have a positive impact on this type of thing?
Not totally out there! Ibuprofen also constricts blood vessels and there has been a link between chronic, low-dosage use and decreased risk for Alzheimer's. Also not a very strong effect if I...
Not totally out there! Ibuprofen also constricts blood vessels and there has been a link between chronic, low-dosage use and decreased risk for Alzheimer's. Also not a very strong effect if I remember correctly.
So caffeine on it's own is a vasoconstrictor and thus reduces blood flow to the brain, but I was doing some reading and found this study supporting your hypothesis but kind of in the opposite...
So caffeine on it's own is a vasoconstrictor and thus reduces blood flow to the brain, but I was doing some reading and found this study supporting your hypothesis but kind of in the opposite direction whereas when chronic caffeine consumers don't have any caffeine in their system they actually have increased blood flow to the brain - so maybe?
Here's the paragraph of the study talking about potential mechanisms:
Here's the paragraph of the study talking about potential mechanisms:
The neuroprotective effects of caffeine are supported by multiple potential mechanisms. Caffeine, primarily through its antagonism of adenosine A1 and A2A receptors, modulates synaptic transmission and attenuates Aβ accumulation. Experimental studies have shown that caffeine lowers Aβ levels, suppresses β- and γ-secretase activity, enhances neuronal plasticity, and stimulates mitochondrial function and prosurvival signaling pathways. In addition, caffeine may lower brain proinflammatory cytokines and mitigate neuroinflammation, which are key contributors to cognitive decline and the development of AD. The ability of caffeine to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is a major risk factor for dementia, further contributes to its protective effect on cognitive health. Beyond caffeine, coffee and tea contain bioactive compounds like polyphenols, chlorogenic acid, and catechins, which offer antioxidant and vascular benefits by reducing oxidative stress and improving cerebrovascular function. Furthermore, tea components such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate and L-theanine may provide additional benefits by enhancing relaxation and neuroprotection.
I drink lots of quality coffee and tea, so, nice! I always take these things with a big grain of salt but always feels nice when you think some of your simple habits might be having a positive effect
I drink lots of quality coffee and tea, so, nice! I always take these things with a big grain of salt but always feels nice when you think some of your simple habits might be having a positive effect
Great! I was going to keep drinking 2-3 cups of coffee a day regardless because it's delicious, but glad it's good.
Yea, unless its full "cigarettes cause lung cancer" bad, I don't forsee myself changing my habits. Even then....
Original paper
Works also with tea !
Ideal dose according to the study:
They seems to have adjusted the effect (i.e. reduce effect such as "rich people drink more coffee, but since they're rich they have better access to medecine"), but it's not detailled in the abstract.
I was surprised at the distinction between 2-3 cups of coffee and 1-2 cups of tea, since tea typically has less caffeine than coffee. This might be the way of how they binned amount of coffee drinking, or I wonder if there are other plant compounds present in tea that promote a synergistic effect.
I'm on 3-4 cups, so we're good. I need it to calculate hyperspace coordinates, anyway.
Disclosure: I like coffee and feel vindicated by these findings. This a pretty small effect size, but from the studies I've read it seems like caffeine is leaning more towards the bin of "good for us".
Food for thought: let's say that there was a discovery that showed a given food or drink was unequivocally good for your health, especially as it pertains to healthy aging, but you hated the taste of it. Would you make any effort to try and "acquire" a taste, or just say screw it and take your chances with your current diet/approach?
Interesting question! For me it would come down to exactly how beneficial the food was, how much I disliked it, and what else I was already doing for my health. Personally, I've already found a decent balance of things I enjoy and things that are good for me. I wouldn't try too hard to incorporate something I didn't enjoy unless it had serious, undeniable benefits.
I spent a decade working with seniors and saw first hand how important a good diet is to aging well. Physical activity, socialization, and staying engaged mentally all play a part and can't be ignored. I'd sooner join a book club, walk laps of the local mall, or do a crossword puzzle every day than try to shoehorn another miracle food into my diet.
I'd probably try to work it in to tacobell-adjacent tacos. Or a smoothie of some sort. Or worst case as capsules of dehydrated food.
And I think we have some foods like that: Basically any leafy green that isn't iceberg lettuce.
(a similar study came up a month ago and spurred some debate)
Thanks for sharing. I posted this to the ~science group and did my due diligence there, but the taggers (thank you for your work) moved it to this group. I guess I should've just searched across the site and not a specific group.
Ah no worries! And thank you for checking first, it's nbd to repost -- there's a different energy to the comments this time, and I think it's a different study, too.
It wasn't a "similar study", it was the exact same one
Article summary:
with a family history of dementia/alzheimers maybe I should start drinking coffee...
It certainly seems like it wouldn't hurt unless you have crazy hypertension (like me whoops!) or if you have caffeine sensitivity syndrome.
Looking at my pre-workout... probably not LOL. You've seen the way I talk about card games, I probably have some type of short term memory issue (not really but ya know)
It’s interesting that the optimum amount is higher for coffee than tea, even though coffee has more caffeine per cup.
Yeah I had the exact same thought. I'm wondering if it might be a survey artifact or if there is some sort of synergistic effect with compounds in tea leaves.
From the study:
My guess is this is largely caused by increased blood flow to the brain from caffeine. Would be interesting to see a comparison with people just just took caffeine pills.
Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, so if anything it reduces blood flow to the brain. I wonder if that reduced flow could somehow have a positive impact on this type of thing?
Not totally out there! Ibuprofen also constricts blood vessels and there has been a link between chronic, low-dosage use and decreased risk for Alzheimer's. Also not a very strong effect if I remember correctly.
So caffeine on it's own is a vasoconstrictor and thus reduces blood flow to the brain, but I was doing some reading and found this study supporting your hypothesis but kind of in the opposite direction whereas when chronic caffeine consumers don't have any caffeine in their system they actually have increased blood flow to the brain - so maybe?
Here's the paragraph of the study talking about potential mechanisms:
I drink lots of quality coffee and tea, so, nice! I always take these things with a big grain of salt but always feels nice when you think some of your simple habits might be having a positive effect