Too much coffee may accelerate the cognitive decline that many people experience in old age, while tea may help prevent it, a study suggests.
Researchers examining data from thousands of Britons found that those who drank more than three cups of coffee a day were more likely to have problems with memory, reasoning and decision-making years later.
Those who did not drink coffee or drank less than three cups a day were found to have slower cognitive decline.
Some studies have previously suggested that caffeine has a number of health benefits, including reducing the risk of stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.
However, researchers at Murdoch University in Perth say their findings now suggest there is such a thing as too much coffee.
A study suggests that drinking too much coffee may accelerate the cognitive decline that many people experience in old age, while tea may help prevent it
Researchers examining data from thousands of Britons found that those who drank more than three cups of coffee a day were more likely to have problems with their memory, reasoning and decision-making skills years later.
Some suggested that the effect could be due to sleep loss caused by excessive caffeine consumption.
The study, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, looked at mentally healthy adults aged over 60, recording their tea and coffee consumption and mapping any mental decline over the following ten years.
More than half of respondents said they drank between one and three cups of coffee a day, a quarter drank none and only 18 percent drank four or more cups.
As for daily tea consumption, only 15 percent said they never drink it, 38 percent drank one to three cups, and 47 percent admitted to drinking four or more cups.
Although those who drank more than three cups of coffee a day had a higher rate of cognitive decline, this does not mean they developed dementia, but that they were more likely to have difficulty thinking, learning or remembering things.
