That morning cuppa is helping your brain too

Your morning espresso may be doing more than waking you up. It could be helping your brain age better. A large US study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Feb 9 has found that people who regularly drink moderate amounts of caffeinated coffee or tea are less likely to develop dementia.

The analysis drew on two long-running health cohorts, the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, tracking 1,31,821 adults for up to 43 years. During follow-up, more than 11,000 participants developed dementia. After adjusting for lifestyle and health factors, those with higher intake of caffeinated coffee had an 18% lower risk compared with low or non-drinkers, with the strongest benefit seen at 2-3 cups a day. Tea showed a similar association at 1-2 cups daily, while decaffeinated coffee showed no benefit.

Higher caffeinated coffee intake was also linked to fewer complaints of memory decline and slightly better performance on objective cognitive tests, particularly among women. The benefit followed a clear moderation window, with heavier consumption offering no added advantage.

Commenting on the findings, Manjari Tripathi, head of neurology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said moderate caffeinated coffee intake, especially before 2pm, has been associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson's. She cautioned, however, that these conditions are complex and shaped by multiple factors, including genetics, lifestyle, diet, education and long-term control of obesity, diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol.

She also warned that excessive caffeine can disturb sleep and trigger heart rhythm problems, particularly in older adults. Coffee consumed late in the day or in large quantities can lead to insomnia, which itself affects memory. Moderation, she said, remains key.

Placing the findings in an Indian and Asian context, Dr Praveen Gupta, neurologist at Fortis Hospital, Gurgaon, said there are no large Indian dementia cohort studies examining coffee or tea intake on the scale of US research. He pointed out that tea is the dominant beverage in India, not coffee, and evidence from smaller studies in China and Japan suggests green tea may be linked to lower cognitive decline, while results for coffee remain mixed.

Dr Gupta added that tolerance varies widely. For many older adults, 1-3 cups of caffeinated coffee or tea a day may be well tolerated, but caffeine can worsen symptoms in people with insomnia, anxiety, acid reflux, heart rhythm disorders or high blood pressure. Any recommendation, he said, must be tailored to individual health profiles rather than applied uniformly.