Sunday, January 25, 2009

A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup!

In the news:

A team of Swedish and Danish researchers tracked coffee consumption in a group of 1,409 middle-age men and women for an average of 21 years. During that time, 61 participants developed dementia, 48 with Alzheimer’s disease.

After controlling for numerous socioeconomic and health factors, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure, the scientists found that the subjects who had reported drinking three to five cups of coffee daily were 65 percent less likely to have developed dementia, compared with those who drank two cups or less. People who drank more than five cups a day also were at reduced risk of dementia, the researchers said, but there were not enough people in this group to draw statistically significant conclusions.

Dr. Miia Kivipelto, an associate professor of neurology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and lead author of the study, does not as yet advocate drinking coffee as a preventive health measure.

Coffee Linked to Lower Dementia Risk (New York Times)
[Post title from the song "Jave Jive" (1940), words by Milton Drake, music by Ben Oakland.]

comments: 5

Anonymous said...

I think I shall have another cup of coffee!

p.s.
Love your blog.

Jason said...

I'll feel less guilty about that 3rd cup I had around 11:00.

Lee said...

If only they could prove it increased creativity ...

Jai said...

At least my growth won't have been stunted when I'm wandering about at the mercies of my own dementia!

Hmm, actually, around middle-age is when I will want to be stunting all of the growth (Of the unfortunate and horizontal variety) that I can.

Michael Leddy said...

More coffee, anyone?

I remember learning in childhood that an older kid down the block — I'll call him Tommy — had had his growth stunted by smoking. Tommy was a real pipsqueak. Perhaps a coffee drinker too.