The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), a non-profit organization devoted to the study and disclosure of science related to coffee and health, has released a new report detailing the potential beneficial effects of moderate consumption of coffee in reducing the risk of age-related cognitive decline.
The report suggests that drinking three to five cups of coffee daily could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by up to 27 percent. One cup of coffee contains about 75 to 100mg of caffeine. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that healthy individuals could drink up to 400mg of caffeine, or up to five cups of coffee, daily.
"Healthcare professionals have an important part to play in providing patients with accurate research-based information, to help them to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle, and in turn, reduce their risk of age-related cognitive decline," explained Professor Rodrigo A. Cunha, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra and Principal Investigator at the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of the University of Coimbra (CNC), Portugal, in a press release. "Moderate coffee consumption could play a significant role in reducing cognitive decline which would impact health outcomes and healthcare spending across Europe."
Despite the beneficial effects of coffee to mental health, the researchers are still unable to determine the mechanism behind its preventive abilities. Caffeine may play some part in the association between coffee and age-related cognitive decline. However, other compounds in coffee, such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, may also have some role in the beneficial attributes of coffee. The researchers noted that the antioxidant Caffeic acid has been previously associated with improved cognitive functions.
The report of ISIC was presented at ISIC's symposium, titled 'Nutrition, Coffee and Age-Related Cognitive Decline', held during the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society's 2016 Congress in Lisbon, Portugal.