A new study published in the journal ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests that espresso coffee may have potential benefits for preventing Alzheimer's disease. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Verona in Italy, found that compounds in expressed coffee can inhibit the aggregation of the protein, which is a key factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
The protein is a normal protein found in the brain. However, in people with Alzheimer's disease, tau protein can clump together to form tangles. These tangles damage neurons and disrupt the brain's communication network, leading to memory loss and other cognitive problems.
The research in the new study found that compounds in espresso coffee, such as caffeine and chlorogenic acid, can inhibit the aggregation of tau protein in test tubes. They also found that mice that were fed an espresso coffee had less tau protein aggregation in the brains than mice that were not fed the extract.
The researchers say that the findings of their study suggest that espresso coffee may be a potential preventive or therapeutic treatment for Alzheimer's disease. However, they caution that more research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the optimal dose of espresso coffee that would be beneficial.
The study's findings are in line with previous research that has linked consumption to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease. A 2017 study published in the journal Neurology found that people who drank three to five cups of coffee per day were 65% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than people who did not drink coffee.
The extract mechanism by which coffee may protect against Alzheimer's disease is not fully understood. However, researchers believe that caffeine and other compounds in coffee may help to reduce inflammation, improve blood flow to the brain, and protect neurons from damage.
In addition to caffeine and chlorogenic acid, espresso coffee also contains other compounds that may be beneficial for brain health. These include l-theanine, an amino acid that has been shown to improve cognitive function, and trigonelline, a compound that has been shown to protect neurons from damage.
The researchers who conducted the new study believe that the combination of compounds in espresso coffee may make it a particularly effective way to protect against Alzheimer's disease. However, they caution that more research is needed to confirm these findings.
The study was conducted in mice and is not yet known whether the same results would be seen in humans. Additionally, the study looked at the effects of espresso coffee extract, and it is not clear whether drinking regular espresso coffee would have the same benefits.
More research is needed to confirm the findings of the study and to determine the optimal dose of espresso coffee that would be beneficial for preventing Alzheimer's disease. However. the study's findings are promising and suggest that espresso coffee may be a potential new treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
If you are concerned about your risk of Alzheimer's disease, talk to your doctor about whether drinking coffee may be beneficial for you. However, it is important to note that coffee is not a cure for Alzheimer's disease, and it is important to adopt other healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep, to reduce your risk of developing the disease.
