CANBERRA (Dispatches) --- University of South Australia researchers have found that high coffee consumption is associated with smaller total brain volumes and an increased risk of dementia.
Professor Elina Hyppönen says that together with other genetic evidence and a randomised controlled trial the data gathered strongly suggest that high coffee consumption can adversely affect brain health. While the exact mechanisms are not known, one simple thing we can do is to keep hydrated and remember to drink a bit of water alongside that cup of coffee and also that the research provides vital insights about heavy coffee consumption and brain health, but as with many things in life, moderation is the key.
The study carried out at UniSA’s Australian Centre for Precision Health at SAHMRI and by a team of international researchers found that those who drank more than six cups of coffee a day had a 53 per cent increased risk of dementia.
Dementia is a degenerative brain condition that affects memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks.