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A team of public health researchers from Ningxia Medical University in China has found, through analysis of medical records, that some regular coffee drinkers with high blood pressure may have a lower risk of developing dementia than people who don’t drink coffee. Their study is published in Scientific reports.
Previous research has shown that regularly drinking a moderate amount of coffee or tea can reduce inflammation. Other studies have shown that it can also promote blood-brain barrier health. Both of these factors have been linked to reduced risk of developing dementia.
In this new study, the researchers asked whether there was a direct link between caffeinated beverage consumption and dementia. To find such a link, they turned to the UK Biobank, a health database of more than 500,000 people over a period of several years.
In their analysis, the researchers looked for links between regular coffee or tea consumption and a reduced risk of dementia. They also looked at other factors that may play a role, such as having heart disease or other medical conditions, including high blood pressure.
The researchers found that people with high blood pressure were more likely to develop dementia than those without it. They also found what they describe as an association between people with high blood pressure and those who regularly drank coffee or tea: Those who drank half a cup or a full cup of coffee a day had a lower risk of dementia than those who drank neither beverage.
They also found that the type of coffee consumed made a difference: those who ground their own beans, for example, were rewarded more.
The research team suggests that the consumption of caffeinated beverages by people with high blood pressure and the resulting reduction in inflammation are likely reasons for the reduced risk of dementia.
They also note that because their study was based on correlation, further research is needed to better understand the link between caffeine consumption and dementia risk in hypertensive patients.
More information:
Bo Wang et al., Association between coffee and tea consumption and risk of dementia in people with hypertension: a prospective cohort study, Scientific reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71426-y
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