2 To 3 Cups of Coffee a Day May Reduce Dementia Risk. But Not if It's Decaf. (nytimes.com)
- Reference: 0180762374
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/02/09/2040213/2-to-3-cups-of-coffee-a-day-may-reduce-dementia-risk-but-not-if-its-decaf
- Source link: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/health/coffee-tea-dementia-risk.html
> A [1]large new study provides evidence of cognitive benefits from coffee and tea -- if it's caffeinated and consumed in moderation: [2]two to three cups of coffee or one to two cups of tea daily .
>
> People who drank that amount for decades had lower chances of developing dementia than people who drank little or no caffeine, the researchers reported. They followed 131,821 participants for up to 43 years. "This is a very large, rigorous study conducted long term among men and women that shows that drinking two or three cups of coffee per day is associated with reduced risk of dementia," said Aladdin Shadyab, an associate professor of public health and medicine at the University of California, San Diego, who wasn't involved in the study.
>
> The findings, published Monday in JAMA, don't prove caffeine causes these beneficial effects, and it's possible other attributes protected caffeine drinkers' brain health. But independent experts said the study adjusted for many other factors, including health conditions, medication, diet, education, socioeconomic status, family history of dementia, body mass index, smoking and mental illness.
[1] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2844764
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/health/coffee-tea-dementia-risk.html
When accuracy matters. (Score:2)
(Doctor) ”Well, your cholesterol levels are elevated, but new studies show I can safely recommend a cup of coffee for you daily.”
(Sally Starbucks) * whips out trusty 64oz Coffee Chugger Cup * ”OhMyGAWD Holy shit balls YES! This is aweso..”
(Doctor) ”That means six ounces, stupid. And you wonder why we’re petitioning to put instructions on bottled water.”
There's a correlational study like this every year (Score:1)
And they all claim 1) "this is very strong evidence of the benefits of caffeine", followed by 2) "but don't forget, this study is simply correlational"; and then 3) "but it is a very large sample", followed by 4) "but don't forget... it's correlational". Pick a lane, please.
Re: (Score:3)
Try this:
Everything in moderation.
Coffee isn't going to hurt you, and can be beneficial. So long as you're not drinking it several times a day, every day, for the entirety of your adult life.
Same for alcohol. It does actually have some benefits. But in small doses. Not all day, every day, to excess.
Same for... almost literally anything. Salt. Sugar. Fat. All the stuff that's "bad" according to cheap headline-grabbing press. You need it all in some amount. Just not to excess.
Same, even, for things
Re: (Score:2)
But cigarettes are highly addictive. Now excuse me, I need more coffee.
Re: (Score:2)
> And they all claim 1) "this is very strong evidence of the benefits of caffeine", followed by 2) "but don't forget, this study is simply correlational"; and then 3) "but it is a very large sample", followed by 4) "but don't forget... it's correlational". Pick a lane, please.
There is a 99% chance that almost all funding for water-is-wet studies would instantly evaporate in the face of common fucking sense approvals.
Trying to make longevity claims studying the “impact” of coffee vs. everything else that matters, is still marinating in fucking-pointless sauce. Plenty would be out of a job without sustaining the delusion of “studies”. That’s why. Yet another scam on the taxpayer.
Excellent news. (Score:2)
I drink two cups of caffeinated coffee every morning. My working assumption, based on this post, is that this will have saved me from my lost decade of hedonistic alcohol and drug abuse. Maybe I'll up it to three cups.
Is the benefit coffee, or caffeine? (Score:2)
The study seems to center around the benefits of consuming caffeine via coffee. So the obvious question is..was the measured benefit provided by the coffee bean, or just pure caffeine? Relevant question, since I’m pretty sure the kids are vaping caffeine now. Or will soon.
Bean sucking addicts can’t quite relate to others not liking the taste of coffee, but rest assured there are plenty who would like to understand the benefits of longevity without having to pretend bitter mud water tastes goo
British tea superiority confirmed (Score:2)
From the study: " The most pronounced associated differences were observed with intake of approximately 2 to 3 cups per day of caffeinated coffee or 1 to 2 cups per day of tea. ".
You heard it - ditch the coffee, drink some tea.
(although, in a small voice, I should probably note that while I am British, I don't drink tea. I drink coffee. Damn.)
Unless caffeine keeps you awake at night (Score:2)
Then you get sleep deprivation, maybe another risk factor in dementia. Torturers use sleep deprivation.
[1] Sleep and dementia. [alzheimers.org.uk]
I am off to bed. Wake me up for Spring.
[1] https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/possible-risks-of-dementia/sleep
Should be easy to test (Score:2)
Mormons, who drink no coffee should have more dementia cases than 'normal' people.:-)
Correlation != Causation (Score:2)
Just a reminder that this is a correlation study. It does not mean that ingesting caffeine will reduce your chance of dementia in the same way that the reduction of pirates has not caused climate change.
It could simply be that people who can afford to spend money on niceties like coffee can afford food and avoid homelessness. Homelessness is highly correlated with death and dementia but that doesn't mean the house itself is preventing dementia.
Re: Correlation != Causation (Score:2)
So an interesting follow up study would be if Starbucks coffee is more beneficial than drip at home coffee.
Re: (Score:2)
And also, which end you put said coffee in.
Re: (Score:2)
Hm. I buy a kilogram of black tea for around $10, and it lasts me around two or three month. So there is that.
Additionally, it's explicitly mentioned:
> But independent experts said the study adjusted for many other factors, including health conditions, medication, diet, education, socioeconomic status, family history of dementia, body mass index, smoking and mental illness.