The BBC reports:
Coffee may cut the risk of dementia by blocking the damage cholesterol can inflict on the body, research suggests.
The drink has already been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's Disease, and a study by a US team for the Journal of Neuroinflammation may explain why.
A vital barrier between the brain and the main blood supply of rabbits fed a fat-rich diet was protected in those given a caffeine supplement.
UK experts said it was the "best evidence yet" of coffee's benefits. . . .
Studies have shown that high levels of cholesterol in the blood can make [the blood-brain] barrier "leaky".
Alzheimer's researchers suggest this makes the brain vulnerable to damage which can trigger or contribute to the condition.
I hope tea works too.
Posted by: gail | April 03, 2008 at 06:41 AM
I'm 78yrs of age (notice I don't write "old")and have been drinking good strong coffee since being weaned from the milk bottle.
So far my memory has not failed me, I have no signs of decreasing use of my mind and I do not expect to until the day I die.
While some are unable to sleep well after a cup of coffee late at nite, for me it is a relaxant and I sleep like a baby.
Posted by: Loli Poppelreiter (lolipopp) | April 03, 2008 at 01:03 PM
Excellent. Now I just have to work up to coffee again.
Posted by: Ana | April 03, 2008 at 03:26 PM
I really like coffee, but you've got to be careful -- espresso for example is HIGH in cholesterol. There's plenty of other natural ways to control one's cholesterol without the negative impacts of caffeine though. A really good reference of alternate sources can be found at the Dietary Supplement Information Bureau. I try to take everything with a dose of moderation and that works well for me.
Posted by: Trixie M. | May 08, 2008 at 03:40 PM