A new study by researchers at Ningxia Medical University in China suggests that regular coffee consumption may reduce the risk of dementia in people with high blood pressure (hypertension).
The findings, published in Scientific Reports, indicate that moderate coffee intake could have potential brain-protective effects.
Coffee, Tea, and Brain Health
Previous research has linked moderate coffee and tea consumption to reduced inflammation and improved blood-brain barrier health—both of which are believed to lower the risk of dementia.
In this study, researchers aimed to find a direct link between caffeinated beverages and dementia prevention, particularly in people with hypertension.
To investigate this, they analyzed data from the UK Biobank, a large-scale health database that tracks more than 500,000 people over several years. They examined coffee and tea drinking habits and their relationship with dementia risk, while also considering other factors like heart disease and hypertension.
Key Findings
1️⃣ High Blood Pressure Increases Dementia Risk
- People with hypertension were more likely to develop dementia than those with normal blood pressure.
2️⃣ Coffee and Tea May Lower Dementia Risk in Hypertensive Individuals
- Among people with high blood pressure, those who drank between half a cup to a full cup of coffee per dayhad a lower risk of developing dementia compared to non-coffee drinkers.
- A similar trend was observed with tea drinkers, though coffee had a stronger association with reduced risk.
3️⃣ Freshly Ground Coffee May Offer the Most Benefits
- People who ground their own coffee beans saw greater protective effects than those who consumed instant or pre-ground coffee.
Why Might Coffee Help?
Researchers believe that coffee’s potential anti-inflammatory effects may play a key role. Inflammation has been linked to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The findings suggest that caffeine and other compounds in coffee might help counteract some of the damaging effects of hypertension-related brain inflammation.
The study is based on correlation, not cause-and-effect.
- While the results suggest a strong association, more research is needed to confirm whether coffee actively reduces dementia risk in people with high blood pressure.
Different types of coffee may have different effects.
- The study found that freshly ground coffee had stronger benefits, but it’s unclear why. Future studies could explore whether processing methods or additives (such as sugar and milk) influence coffee’s impact on brain health.
For people with high blood pressure, moderate coffee consumption (half to one cup per day) may be beneficial for brain health. However, more research is needed before coffee can be recommended as a dementia prevention strategy.
Health experts emphasize that controlling blood pressure through lifestyle changes, diet, and medication remains the most effective way to lower dementia risk.
This study adds to the growing evidence that coffee and tea may have brain-protective benefits, particularly in people with high blood pressure.
While drinking freshly ground coffee in moderation may offer some advantages, it is not a substitute for other proven dementia prevention strategies, such as maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and managing blood pressure.
Future research will be needed to fully understand the long-term effects of coffee and caffeine on brain aging and cognitive decline.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and vitamin D supplements strongly reduce cancer death.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about plant nutrient that could help reduce high blood pressure, and these antioxidants could help reduce dementia risk.
The research findings can be found in Scientific Reports.
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