High coffee consumption linked with increased risk of dementia - Daily Mail

Researchers in Australia have found that high coffee consumption is associated with smaller total brain volumes and a 53 per cent increased risk of dementia.   .

Although it was not specifically determined that excess coffee consumption caused dementia, the authors of this new study warn against high consumption of the black stuff, which they define as more than six cups a day. .

'Essentially, drinking more than six cups of coffee a day may be putting you at risk of brain diseases such as dementia and stroke.'.

According to the European Food Safety Authority, we should be drinking 400mg of coffee a day – about four to five cups – at the very most although the daily maximum is only 200mg for pregnant women. ?

'Typical daily coffee consumption is somewhere between one and two standard cups of coffee,' said study author Professor Elina Hyppönen. .

'However, if you're finding that your coffee consumption is heading up toward more than six cups a day, it's about time you rethink your next drink.' .

Study author Professor David Llewellyn from the University of Exeter added: 'Heavy coffee drinkers can reduce their risk of dementia by moderating how much they drink – for example by drinking tea instead which wasn’t linked to dementia risk in our study.' .

Those who drank more than six cups of coffee a day had a 53 per cent increased risk of dementia compared with those who consumed one to two cups a day. !

Drinking more than six cups of coffee was also associated with a 17 per cent increased risk of having a stroke.   

If your coffee consumption is heading up toward more than six cups a day, 'it's about time you rethink your next drink', the research suggests 

Moderate coffee consumption can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's by up to 27 per cent 

'This research provides vital insights about heavy coffee consumption and brain health, but as with many things in life, moderation is the key,' said Professor Hyppönen. 

'Together with other genetic evidence and a randomised controlled trial, these data strongly suggest that high coffee consumption can adversely affect brain health

Earlier this year, Swiss researchers found regular caffeine intake reduces the volume of grey matter in the brain, suggesting coffee intake could impair our information processing ability

The experts gave volunteers three 150mg servings of caffeine a day for 10 days – a caffeine intake equating to about four or five small cups of brewed coffee a day, or seven single espressos.  

In February, the team revealed that long-term, heavy coffee consumption – six or more cups a day – can increase the amount of fats in your blood, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). 

If you order a coffee on the high street, you're likely to be served an espresso, whether it's with or without milk

Just one daily cup of coffee during pregnancy may raise the risk of stillbirth, research published in 2020 suggests

Professor Alexander Heazell, first author of the study and Director of Tommy's Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre at Manchester University, said: 'This is a relatively small risk, so people shouldn't be worried about the occasional cup of coffee