The paper reports on a sponsored symposium event from the recent Alzheimer Europe conference in Glasgow, which saw three speakers outline some of the existing research into coffee consumption and Alzheimer’s. Among the research summarised are observational studies, some of which have reported that people who drink coffee may be less likely to develop dementia, and research looking at some of the components of coffee, including caffeine and polyphenols.
Dr Simon Ridley, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK’s leading dementia research charity, said:
“Although some studies have suggested a possible link between coffee consumption and lower dementia risk, there is currently not enough evidence to be able to draw firm conclusions about its effects. Many studies that have investigated these links have been observational studies which are not able to tell us definitively whether coffee can prevent or reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. While many of us enjoy a cup of coffee now and again, we’d need to see clinical trials to know whether the drink could prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
“With half a million people currently living with Alzheimer’s in the UK and that number set to increase, we must invest in research to find ways of preventing the disease. In the meantime, current evidence suggests that we can lower our risk by eating a healthy, balanced diet, doing regular exercise, not smoking, and keeping blood pressure and weight in check.”