A shot of espresso may prevent ALZHEIMER’s protein buildup in lab tests

Coffee lovers may benefit from more than just a caffeine boost, as research shows that compounds found in a shot of espresso may help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

A study shows that a drink of coffee can inhibit a process thought to be involved in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Although the exact mechanisms that cause Alzheimer’s and dementia are still unclear, a protein called tau is thought to play a role.

In healthy people, tau proteins help stabilize brain structures.

But these proteins can clump together into thread-like structures called fibrils.

Some researchers believe that preventing this formation could alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or prevent it from developing in the first place.

Mariapina D’Onofrio, a biologist at the University of Verona, Italy, said: “Espresso coffee is among the best-known beverages in the world, and drinking espresso has become a habit in many countries due to its pleasant taste.”

“Recent studies show that when consumed in moderation, this drink could have beneficial effects on human health thanks to its biological properties.

“In particular, numerous studies report that moderate and sometimes even high coffee consumption exerts a neuroprotective effect against two of the most common neurodegenerative diseases: Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.”

To investigate, his team took shots of espresso and incubated extracts along with a shortened form of the tau protein in a laboratory for up to 40 hours.

They found that as the concentration of the espresso extract increased, the tau fibrils stayed shorter and did not form larger “tangles.”

These shortened fibrils were found to be non-toxic to human cells.

The team said that many of the compounds in coffee, such as caffeine and genistein, can cross the barrier between the blood and the brain to have protective effects.

writing on it Journal of Agricultural and Food ChemistryThe team said: ‘Here, we show that tau protein aggregation is modulated by espresso extract and some of its components.

“Based on the bioavailability of coffee components in the brain and the results of our study, we expect that moderate coffee consumption will provide a sufficient amount of bioactive molecules to act…as ​​modulators of tau protein aggregation and toxicity.

“In conclusion, we present a large body of evidence that espresso coffee, a widely consumed beverage, is a source of natural compounds that show beneficial properties in ameliorating tau-related pathologies.”

Although much more research is needed, the team says their preliminary findings could pave the way for finding or designing treatments for the disease.

Previous research has also suggested a link between drinking coffee and brain health. A study published in 2021 found that people who drank two to three cups of coffee and two to three cups of tea a day had a 28% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who drank none.

This group’s risk of having a stroke was also reduced by 32 percent, according to the scientists.

Meanwhile, a separate study found that eating an “anti-inflammatory” diet that includes coffee, tea, fruits and vegetables can reduce the chances of developing dementia by a third.