A study involving more than 130,000 people suggests that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day may reduce the risk of dementia and slow cognitive decline. The research was published in the journal JAMA and was led by scientists from Mass General Brigham, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. For the work, the specialists analyzed data from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. The study's lead author, Daniel Wang, said in a statement through Harvard University: "When looking for possible tools to prevent dementia, we considered that something as widespread as coffee could be a promising dietary intervention." "Our privileged access to high-quality data, from studies that have been ongoing for more than 40 years, allowed us to explore this idea." Wang added that although the results of his research are encouraging, "it is important to note that the magnitude of the effect is small and that there are many other fundamental ways to protect cognitive function as we age." "Our work suggests that the consumption of caffeinated coffee or tea could be one more piece of that puzzle." How many cups of coffee a day are associated with a lower risk of dementia, according to a study. Photo: referential. Why drinking two to three cups of coffee a day is associated with a lower risk of dementia, according to the study The researchers explained that coffee contains bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and caffeine, which have been identified as potential neuroprotective factors. These help reduce inflammation and cellular damage, and also contribute to protection against cognitive decline. For the recent work, participants underwent periodic evaluations of their diet, the presence of dementia, subjective cognitive decline, and objective cognitive functioning, with follow-up lasting up to 43 years. The scientists analyzed how the consumption of caffeinated coffee, tea, and decaffeinated coffee influenced the risk of developing dementia and each participant's cognitive health. Of the 131,821 participants, 11,033 developed dementia. However, both men and women who had higher consumption of caffeinated coffee had an 18% lower risk of dementia, compared to those who reported little or no consumption of this type of coffee. Coffee drinkers with caffeine also showed a lower prevalence of subjective cognitive decline (7.8% versus 9.5%). And according to some measures, those who consumed caffeinated coffee also scored better on objective tests of overall cognitive functioning. Higher tea consumption showed similar results. However, decaffeinated coffee did not show the same effect. How many cups of coffee a day are associated with a lower risk of dementia, according to a study. Photo: referential. This, according to the researchers, suggests that caffeine could be the active factor responsible for these neuroprotective results. Despite this, they acknowledge that more research is needed to confirm the specific factors and mechanisms involved. The cognitive benefits were most evident in participants who consumed between two and three cups of caffeinated coffee, or between one and two cups of tea per day. Unlike what they observed in previous studies, higher caffeine consumption did not produce negative effects. On the contrary, it offered neuroprotective benefits similar to those observed with the dose considered optimal. The study's lead author, Yu Zhang, commented: "We also compared people with different genetic predispositions to developing dementia and observed the same results." "This means that coffee, or caffeine, is probably equally beneficial for people with both a high genetic risk and a low risk of developing dementia." It is worth remembering that if you have questions related to your health and/or diet, it is always advisable to consult with specialists to evaluate your particular case and the best ways to address it.