• Question: Can caffeine contribute to neurodegeneration? If so, how?

    Asked by delaram123 to Dilwar, Lou, Rachel, Simon, Susan on 15 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Susan Skelton

      Susan Skelton answered on 15 Nov 2013:

      Hi Delaram,

      I didn’t know the answer to your question, so I had to look it up. I don’t think that scientists think that caffeine causes neurodegeneration; but what is really interesting is that caffeine might be able to prevent neurodegeneration.

      An experiment was done where scientists took pictures of the insides of some volunteers heads, before and after they had different amounts of caffeine. They found that the caffeine attaches to some molecules inside the brain. These molecules release a special type of chemical and when caffeine attaches to the molecules, the molecules find it more difficult to release the chemical.

      Scientists think that this could protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. They have predicted that drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee every day at mid-life might reduce your risk of getting dementia when you get old!

      Having said that, it is very difficult to find out exactly what effect different chemicals have on the body – this experiment only used a few people so we will know more when they have tested the theory on many more people. There can also be problems caused by drinking too much caffeine, like addiction and high blood pressure, so it’s not a good idea to eat or drink too much of any one thing. I don’t think it’s a good idea to drink so many cups of coffee, at least until we find out more about the benefits and risks!

      Hope this answers your question? I learned something too, there, so thanks for encouraging me to look it up!

    • Photo: Simon Langley-Evans

      Simon Langley-Evans answered on 16 Nov 2013:

      Delaram
      Susan is right with her answer. There is no good evidence to suggest that caffeine is linked to neurodegeneration at all, and may even be beneficial to older people. Caffeine is consumed by almost everyone and we find it in coffee, tea, chocolate, painkillers like paracetamol and some soft drinks. It is a stimulant to the nervous system and helps to keep us alert.

      The links between caffeine and health are really complicated and whether or not it is healthy depends on your age. Caffeine is something that children need to be careful with because it can be toxic (even lethal) in high amounts, and for smaller people that toxic level is a lot lower. Energy drinks (Red Bull, Monster) are really not suitable for children as they are loaded with caffeine. Pregnant women should also cut right down on caffeine as it can cause a miscarriage. In older people caffeine increases alertness and may slow down memory loss and the development of diseases such as Alzheimers. On the bad side caffeine can cause loss of bone mineral, which leads to a condition called osteoporosis, where elderly people fracture hips, wrists of vertebrae even with very minor accidents.

      I think caffeine is probably like anything else that we can consume- we shouldn’t go over the top and only consume sensible amounts. 2-3 cups of coffee per day is probably enough.

    • Photo: Rachel Dakin

      Rachel Dakin answered on 17 Nov 2013:

      caffeine is interesting stuff, it’s a natural substance and classed as a psychoactive drug. As the other scientists have discussed, research has suggested that drinking some caffeine can slow down neurodegeneration. Short studies in labs have shown that caffeine alters the way the brain works. Big studies looking at the general public and recording how much caffeine they drink and how their health is also associate it with reduced neurodegeneration. however it can be very difficult to control these big studies. Scientists do their best but it’s not always possible. For example the effects of drinking caffeine in the form of coffee with milk and 2 sugars might be quite different than a black cup of tea.
      I’m more knowledgable on the effects of caffeine on heart disease. Most scientists agree that a couple of caffeinated drinks a day reduce the risk of heart disease but lots of cups and the effect is opposite. It’s always hard to know exactly what to think about studies like these. I think it’s ok to eat and drink most things in moderation. A healthy balanced diet is a good way to reduce your risk of disease in general.
      I can’t remember the last day when I didn’t drink a cup of tea or coffee……!

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