Study shows info on whether or not antioxidants prevent dementia
2 Min Read
A recent study shows that it is still unclear whether coffee could actually keep dementia at bay for longer.
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Caffeine at high concentrations suggest that coffee may help lower dementia risk. (AFP photo)
Because coffee contains antioxidants in the form of polyphenols, some researchers have recently hypothesized that it may have a number of positive health effects, such as reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Additionally, it might improve brain health.
That might be a result of the fact that antioxidants from a person's diet can assist in preventing cellular aging. Antioxidants, however, are unlikely to provide complete immunity against any illness or medical condition.
"Antioxidant substances that claim to be neuroprotective are plentiful," according to Clifford Segil, a board-certified neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.
"In theory, they may actually be healthy but claims [that a] coffee brew is going to protect someone from getting a neurodegenerative disease is challenging to agree has scientific merit," he added.
Read: Harvard scientists say olive oil decreases risk of dementia
According to the study published in the ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the researchers say that their preliminary in vitro results may open the door to discovering or creating other bioactive compounds against neurodegenerative illnesses, such as Alzheimer's.
As per Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist at NYU Langone Health, their research was very early, and there are various other areas that require examination.
While the study showed that a high caffeine content, like espresso, may help lower the risk of dementia, Doctor Salinas said that the "causation has not yet been established — other studies have shown that drinking coffee [was associated with] an increased risk of dementia."
"It could be a matter of finding dividing lines — how much coffee is preventative and how much is harmful," he hypothesized. "These [questions] must be answered before designing, or attempting to design, treatments for neurodegenerative diseases."
"This was an interesting study by a group of scientists in Verona, Italy, who are trying to help change espresso coffee use from a potential health risk to a health benefit," explained Segil.
