A new long-term study suggests that your daily cup of tea or coffee may do more than just boost energy. Researchers have found that moderate intake of caffeinated beverages could help reduce the risk of dementia and support better mental health.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association after tracking more than 131,000 participants over several decades.
The research followed more than 131,000 participants who were free from cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia at the beginning of the study.
It included over 86,000 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study from 1980 to 2023, and more than 45,000 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study conducted between 1983 and 2023.
At the start of the research, the average age of female participants was 46, while male participants averaged 54 years.
Researchers monitored diet
To understand the relationship between caffeine consumption and mental health, researchers collected dietary questionnaires every two to four years.
Participants reported how often they consumed caffeinated beverages such as coffee and tea, allowing researchers to track long-term drinking patterns and their potential effects on brain health.
Lower dementia risk
The study recorded more than 11,000 cases of dementia among participants during the follow-up period.
However, researchers found that higher consumption of caffeinated coffee was linked to a significant reduction in dementia risk.
Participants who drank more coffee also reported fewer subjective symptoms of mental decline, suggesting a possible protective effect on cognitive health.
The research also highlighted potential mental health benefits associated with tea consumption.
Among women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study, higher coffee intake was linked to better mental performance.
Similarly, researchers observed that greater consumption of caffeinated tea was associated with improved mental health outcomes.
The long-running study suggests that moderate daily consumption of caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee may help support cognitive health and reduce the risk of dementia.
While the research highlights a strong association between caffeine intake and improved mental outcomes, the findings add to growing scientific interest in how everyday dietary habits can influence long-term brain health.
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