Harvard-MIT Study: Coffee Lowers Dementia Risk

A major new study is delivering encouraging news for millions of Americans, finding that regular consumption of caffeinated coffee is associated with a significantly lower risk of dementia and cognitive decline.

The study, published in JAMA, was conducted by leading researchers at Havbard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Researchers tracking more than 131,000 U.S. adults over four decades identified a clear pattern.

The study found that people who consumed moderate amounts of caffeinated coffee experienced better long-term brain health outcomes than those who drank little or none.

Clear Link Between Caffeine and Brain Protection

The study reported that higher intake of caffeinated coffee was associated with reduced dementia risk.

The results show a hazard ratio of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.76 to 0.89) when comparing the highest and lowest consumption groups.

Participants who consumed more caffeine also reported less subjective cognitive decline, with a prevalence of 7.8% among higher-intake individuals versus 9.5% among lower-intake groups.

Notably, the strongest protective association appeared at moderate consumption levels.

The scientists note that moderate consumption is roughly two to three cups per day.

By contrast, decaffeinated coffee showed no meaningful connection to dementia risk.

The finding reinforced the conclusion that caffeine itself may play a key biological role.

Decades-Long Research Strengthens Findings

The research was led by scientists from Mass General Brigham, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of MIT.

The study documented 11,033 dementia cases across the 40-year follow-up period.

Both men and women who drank more than three cups of caffeinated coffee daily demonstrated an 18% lower dementia risk compared to those consuming little or none.

Senior author Daniel Wang explained the rationale behind studying coffee as a prevention tool:

“When searching for possible dementia prevention tools, we thought something as prevalent as coffee may be a promising dietary intervention.

“Our unique access to high-quality data through studies that have been going on for more than 40 years allowed us to follow through on that idea.”

Wang cautioned that coffee is not a standalone solution, noting:

“While our results are encouraging, it’s important to remember that the effect size is small and there are lots of important ways to protect cognitive function as we age.

“Our study suggests that caffeinated coffee or tea consumption can be one piece of that puzzle.”

A Simple Habit With Potential Lifelong Impact

With dementia rates rising across the Western world, the findings point to a widely accessible, low-cost lifestyle factor that may help protect long-term cognitive health.

The distinction between caffeinated and decaf results also raises deeper biological questions about how modern diets and natural compounds influence brain aging.

It’s an area researchers say demands further investigation.

For now, the evidence adds to a growing body of research suggesting that moderate caffeinated coffee consumption could play a meaningful role in maintaining brain function over time.

The study offers a rare piece of positive news in the fight against neurodegenerative disease.

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