Brits with a common heart problem may need not worry about their caffeine intake in later life — as up to five brews a day could reduce their risk of dementia.
Scientists from Basel University Hospital in Switzerland found that those aged over 65 who suffered an irregular heart rhythm were less likely to suffer memory-robbing symptoms if they were heavy coffee drinkers.
Participants who drank more than two brews per day, on average, also had lower levels of inflammatory blood markers associated with the degenerative disease, compared to those who drank less.
Speaking of the findings, the researchers said the protective effect may be due to the caffeine in coffee reducing oxidative stress — an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body that usually fight infection.
Study authors also suggested caffeine decreases the build-up of amyloid — a protein that clumps together to form plaques — and reduces inflammation and cell death in the brain, which may reduce dementia risk.
But Alzheimer’s Society explains this has only been proven in mice and not humans, meaning the connection still is not certain.
It follows previous studies showing the benefits of caffeine in old age.
An Italian study from 2023 found extracts of espresso reduced the build-up of the toxic protein called tau — which fuels dementia — when mixed with brain samples in petri dishes.
Drinking up to five cups of coffee a day may be enough to reduce the risk of cognitive decline especially in people with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are vulnerable to the disease
Another study published in 2021 found people who drank two to three cups of coffee and two to three cups of tea per day had a 28 per cent reduced risk of developing dementia compared to those who drank none.
For the study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, experts recruited 2,413 elderly adults over 65 with atrial fibrillation (AF).
AF affects 1.5million Brits and causes random electrical impulses to fire from the top chambers of the heart (atria), making the the heart’s rhythm erratic.
The condition is also known to increase the risk of cognitive decline because it can increase the risk of a stroke which can trigger vascular dementia — a type of dementia caused by a lack of blood supply to the brain, British Heart Foundation explains.
Participants were given a nutrition questionnaire and were asked to self-report how much coffee they drank a day.
They also underwent neurocognitive testing using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which asks participants to name animals and to write the date and time, and is used to spot signs dementia.
Blood tests were also taken to measure inflammation levels in the body, which are used to estimate the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Excessive inflammation is also thought to play a role in triggering dementia by causing the death of brain cells, according to Alzheimer’s Society.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss
The outcomes were combined to compute a ‘cognitive construct score’, which reflected the neurocognitive tests, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score and the blood test.
Results showed that those who drank the highest number of coffees — around five per day — scored twice as high as those who drank just one cup.
Results of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score were also higher among those who drank two to three cups of coffee a day in comparison to those that drank one.
Plus, blood tests revealed a drop in a protein called interleukin‐6, which is an inflammation marker, in the blood with increasing coffee consumption.
High levels of this protein in the blood signify inflammation — the immune system’s response to injury or infection.
Although inflammation can be a good thing because it deals with damage or infections, if this lasts a long time and does not resolve it can cause problems.
Common signs of inflammation in the body include fever, brain fog and swelling.
Excessive inflammation is thought to trigger dementia by causing nerve cell death, according to Alzheimer’s Society.
‘Coffee consumption in patients with atrial fibrillation may be associated with improved cognitive performance and reduced inflammatory markers,’ study authors concluded.
‘Further studies are required to confirm an optimal exposure of three to five cups daily in this elderly population…coffee consumption in elderly patients with [atrial fibrillation] should not be discouraged,’ they added.
About one in 50 people in the UK have been diagnosed with AF.
An estimated additional 270,000 people are thought to have AF but remain undiagnosed and unaware of the danger, according to British Heart Foundation.
AF tends to affect certain groups of people, such as older people and people living with long-term (chronic) conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure or obesity.
It may be triggered by certain situations, such as drinking too much alcohol or smoking.
The British Heart Foundation says caffeine isn’t a cause of AF. However, the effect of caffeine will vary between people with the condition.
Although drinking caffeine has proven health benefits, some people are more sensitive than others and can experience palpitations.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) advises that most people can safely consume up to 300mg of caffeine a day — the equivalent to three cups of coffee.
That’s because studies have shown intakes of over 600mg a day — twice that of the recommended amount — is related to insomnia, nervousness, irritability, increased blood pressure and upset stomachs.
But if you are pregnant you should not consume more than 200mg of caffeine a day, as this could increase the risk of miscarriage or a low birth weight, the NHS warns.