How many of us enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning? It’s often the first thing I do in the mornings–go to the kitchen and brew a pot of coffee for me and my wife. If I’m thinking ahead, I will brew a small amount in the evening and put it in the fridge overnight so that I can have iced coffee the next morning.
But like a lot of good things, too much coffee isn’t good. There have been multiple studies on the caffeinated beverage, but a new study reveals that excessive amounts of coffee when we’re younger increases the likelihood that we will develop dementia as we age.
More than 17,000 individuals in the UK Biobank between the ages of 18 and 73 were examined for this large scale study. What they found was that individuals that drank six or more cups of coffee per day were 53 percent more likely to develop dementia in their latter years. There was also a noted increase for the risk of stroke because prolonged excessive coffee drinking shrank the overall volume of the brain.
The good news? Most people don’t need to worry too much about this. The average coffee drinker only has one or two cups per day, not placing them in the risk category here. However, there are other health elements that can be impacted by coffee. Coffee’s not necessarily bad for seniors, but it needs to be approached with caution.
The research was conducted by the University of South Australia. It’s believed to be the largest study of its kind looking at the impact of coffee drinking and its relation to the development of dementia. They published their results in the journal, Nutritional Neuroscience.
Like many other things in life, whether a loved one drinks coffee or other caffeinated beverages comes down to personal choice. Each person is an individual, after all. We are all capable of making our own choices and pursuing our own interests, for better or worse. The above cited research points to generalities and not to specific individuals. It points to people that drink excessive amounts of coffee in a day, and not the average coffee drinker. However, each person is a little bit different.
The researchers were quick to point out that the average coffee drinker isn’t impacted in this manner. If you drink one or two cups of coffee per day, odds are you are not increasing your risk of dementia or stroke. The author commented that it would be wise to make some lifestyle changes if you are ingesting six or more cups of coffee per day.
As with anything like this, if you have more questions, please speak with a doctor. They will be able to give you more individualized advice designed to help you and your unique situation. Everyone’s different when it comes to the particulars of your health.
And if you’re looking for help with senior care, we can help with your unique situation in this respect. One of our trained caregivers can help answer your questions during a free consultation session. Feel free to reach out to us to get started. Your family deserves the best, and we want to help find it.
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