Joined: 12/20/2011
Posts: 217
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I had heard that caffeinated coffee could help mental function, but assumed it was because of the stimulant properties of caffeine. Many older people need to avoid caffeine for various reasons.
Now here's a new study that says that decaffeinated coffee may help as well.
It's just an animal study, but still encouraging.
Coffee could improve memory
Drinking decaffeinated coffee could improve our memory, a study suggests.
07 Feb 2012
Researchers said the drink could improve the memory of people suffering from
diseases of the brain or age-related forgetfulness, and may even prevent
symptoms from appearing in the first place.
They tested their theory by giving a dietary supplement with the same
properties of decaffeinated coffee to mice with type 2 diabetic mice.
The disease lowers glucose levels in the brain, causing impairment in memory
and other brain functions, but after five months of treatment mice given the
supplement, as opposed to a placebo, showed raised levels of glucose.
Dr Giulio Maria Pasinetti of the Mount Sinai School in New York, who led the
research, said tests on humans could follow.
He said: "This is the first evidence showing the potential benefits of
decaffeinated coffee preparations for both preventing and treating cognitive
decline caused by type 2 diabetes, ageing, and/or neurodegenerative disorders."
Coffee is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, but Dr
Pasinetti said these effects were most likely due to the caffeine content.
Studies which suggest that the early symptoms of diseases like Alzheimer's,
such as memory loss, can be detected several decades before diagnosis highlight the need for protective treatments, he added.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9067164/Coffee-could-improve-memory.html
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See also:
Decaffeinated Coffee May Help Improve Memory Function and Reduce Risk of
Diabetes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201092316.htm
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Joined: 12/12/2011
Posts: 4855
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Caffeine while it may have some neuroprotective qualities, can as Onward notes, carry some risks.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/494951-coffee-polyphenols/
Coffee is high in two polyphenolic compounds--caffeic acid and chlorgenic acid--that protect against peroxynitrite-mediated damage in Alzheimer's disease (page 12120 in the following link). It might be helpful to put some Gelam honey in the coffee.
https://docs.google.com/a/wnc.edu/viewer?a=v&q=cache:MSQ3lTIxgj4J:www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/13/9/12113/pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShG1Xiv08WhmAFXXZNbDslcUZdrD8Kodcktmzb6YYMD_N22eEIjmIIRbrCWnuALCylDZ9xsgCxo4NfVNMgHqwFUE_LBBiw8_fouwcykQjMdjKliNT-Yjmp89ghRzbA0iQhkM0tc&sig=AHIEtbS8v1FiMaBTcFDPV7se5n7Bh56LEw
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