Caffeine for Alzheimer's Prevention
That daily cup of coffee you enjoy could spare you from getting Alzheimer’s disease, according to medical researchers. Even better, if you already have Alzheimer’s, coffee could help keep it under control. But there’s a catch. Researchers say 500 mg of caffeine, or about five cups a day, is required for optimum protection.
Dr. Gary Arendash, lead researcher at the Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, drinks that amount every day, convinced the caffeine is protecting his brain. His research team used mice that are bred to develop Alzheimer’s and found the caffeine protected the mice from Alzheimer’s disease.
The mice were bred to develop a high amount of beta amyloid, a protein that causes Alzheimer’s in both mice and humans. The research team followed the mice as they aged, and when they reached the mouse equivalent of 70 human years, began giving caffeine to half the mice.
In just two months, the caffeinated mice showed improvement in memory and thinking tests, while the non-caffeinated mice did poorly on the same tests. When the brains of the mice were examined, researchers fouled 50% less beta amyloid in the caffeinated mice.
Dr. Arendash also found giving caffeine to older humans without dementia also affected their beta amyloid levels. This is a promising discovery in Alzheimer’s research that confirms other studies, one Italian, the other Canadian, which also found caffeine can help reduce your risk of developing Azheimer’s. This is truly grounds for hope.
If you have any memory problems, coffee is an inexpensive way to address them. For maximum effectiveness, use fresh brewed organic coffee. Black is best, as sugar, cream and other additives just add calories and fat.